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CONTENTS 

Page 

Foreword     5 

Chap. 

I    The  Years  before  1668  7 

II    The  Founding  of  the  Church  15 

III  The  Ministry  of  Nathaniel  Collins  25 

IV  The  Ministry  of  Noadiah  Russel  31 

V    The  Ministry  of  William  Russel 3^ 

VI    The  Ministry  of  Enoch  Huntington 49 

VII    The     Ministries     of     Dan     Huntington    and 

Chauncey  Allen  Goodrich   63 

VIII    The    Ministries    of    John    Riley    Crane    and 

James  Burnett  Crane    7Z 

IX    The  Ministry  of  Jeremiah  Taylor  85 

X    The  Ministry  of  Azel  Washburn  Hazen 95 

XI    The  Beginning  of  the  Ministry  of  Douglas 

Horton     I39 

Appendix  A.  149  B.  153  C.  159 

Index      161 


FOREWORD 

Material  was  gathered  for  an  ampler  history 
than  is  recorded  in  this  volume.  But  the 
troubled  period  in  which  we  are  living,  that 
has  delayed  its  publication,  makes  it  seem  the 
part  of  wisdom  to  arrange  only  that  which  may 
be  easily  put  into  type,  and  may  secure  a  more 
general  reading  than  a  larger  book  would 
obtain.  Therefore  the  sketch  herein  relates 
mainly  to  the  Church  itself  rather  than  to  the 
twenty-five  decades  of  secular  history  through 
which  it  has  passed. 

The  plan  by  which  the  author  limited  himself 
did  not  allow  him  to  insert  full  biographical 
notes  of  many  eminent  persons  whose  names 
adorn  the  annals  of  the  Church.  No  one  can  be 
more  painfully  aware  than  he  how  unworthy 
are  the  following  meager  outlines  of  the  con- 
spicuous subject  to  which  they  relate.  Yet  they 
are  the  offering  of  one  who  loves  this  institution 
to  whose  upbuilding  and  to  the  widening  of 
whose  Influence  a  half  century  of  his  life  has 
been  cheerfully  devoted. 

"  The  hallowed  form  our  fathers  built 
That  hallowed  form  build  we." 

A.  W.  H. 

MiDDLETOWN,  CONNECTICUT, 

June  the  fifteenth,  1920. 

5 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Years  Before  1668. 

No  one  familiar  with  the  Bible  can  question 
the  value  of  a  knowledge  of  human  history. 
Not  only  Is  a  large  portion  of  this  venerable 
book  historical,  but  It  strenuously  enforces  the 
need  of  acquaintance  with  Its  contents  that  men 
may  become  what  they  ought  to  be,  and  do  what 
they  ought  to  do.  Yet,  as  Canon  LIddon 
affirmed,  ''  It  Is  God  in  history  which  makes 
history  for  a  Christian  so  encouraging  and  in- 
structive, and  thus,  In  turning  reverently  to  the 
past,  we  are  where  God  Himself  would  place 
and  keep  us,  close  to  Himself,  our  own,  our 
personal 

"  .  .  .  .  help  in  ages  past, 
Our  hope  for  years  to  come." 

While,  In  no  department  of  history  Is  God  more 
clearly  revealed  than  in  the  wondrous  records 
of  the  Christian  Church.  He  seems  to  have 
planted  this  beneficent  institution  in  the  soil  of 
our  earth  that  it  might  be  the  means  through 
which  a  knowledge  of  Himself  should  be  kept 


A  History  of  the 


alive  among  men,  as  well  as  a  channel  along 
which  Innumerable  other  blessings  should  flow 
to  them. 

Therefore,  It  Is  most  helpful  to  trace  the 
pathway  of  any  section  of  the  Church  of  Christ, 
if  it  has  been  at  all  loyal  to  its  high  vocation. 
Especially  is  this  true,  If  the  section  is  one  like 
that  an  outline  of  whose  story  Is  to  follow, 
which  has  been  a  vital  force  in  a  community  for 
years  and  centuries. 

The  First  Church  of  Christ  in  MIddletown 
was  organized  November  4,  1668,  so  that  Its 
two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  falls  in 
19 1 8.  This  is  a  goodly  age  for  an  organization 
in  America  to  attain.  There  are  only  sixteen 
Churches  older  than  this  in  Connecticut,  only 
twenty-five  in  Massachusetts,  only  one  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  none  elsewhere  In  the  United 
States.  The  Churches  in  this  commonwealth 
which  antedate  this  are  that  in  Windsor,  formed 
in  1630,  the  First  in  Hartford,  1632,  those  in 
Stamford  and  Wethersfield,  1635,  that  in  Fair- 
field, the  First  in  Milford,  the  First  in  New 
Haven,  that  in  Old  Saybrook,  and  that  in  Strat- 
ford, 1639,  the  First  In  Guilford,  1643,  that  in 
Branford,  1644,  the  First  in  New  London, 
1650,  that  In  Farmlngton,  the  First  in  Norwalk, 


First  Church  of  Christ 


1652,  the  First  In  Norwich,  1660,  and  that  In 
Clinton,  1667.  These  Churches  have  exerted 
a  positive  Influence  In  the  towns  where  they  are 
located,  nearly  all  of  them  being  prominent 
among  those  of  the  State. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  Gospel  was 
preached  in  Mattabesett  soon  after  its  settle- 
ment in  1650.  The  founders  of  MIddletown 
were  men  who  believed  In  God,  and  who  desired 
to  worship  Him  in  a  public  manner.  That  this 
fundamental  desire  might  be  gratified,  some 
kind  of  a  building  was  imperative.  One  of  the 
early  entries  now  remaining  in  the  town  records, 
not  the  earliest,  as  stated  by  Dr.  Field,  is  that 
of  a  vote  to  build  a  meeting-house.  This  action 
was  taken  at  the  house  of  John  Hall,  who  was 
one  of  the  original  settlers,  February/2'ri  65  2. 

Doubtless  there  had  been  gatherings  for  wor- 
ship at  the  same  place,  as  well  as  at  other 
houses,  before  this  date.  Tradition  informs 
us  that  there  were  assemblies,  also,  under  the 
giant  elm  which  stood  at  the  north  end  of  Main 
Street,  near  whose  hospitable  shelter  the  first 
meeting-house  was  reared.  On  the  two  hundred 
and  fiftieth  anniversaiy  of  the  settlement  of  the 
town,  in  1900,  the  spot  was  marked  by  the 
immense  boulder  which    now    perpetuates    the 


lo  A  History  of  the 

memory  of  its  founders,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
Indians  from  whom  they  purchased  its  site. 

The  structure  there  erected  in  obedience  to 
pure  religious  Instincts  was  of  the  rudest  kind, 
as  were  the  dwellings  of  its  builders.  It  was  only 
twenty  feet  square,  and  ten  feet  from  sill  to 
plate,  constructed  of  unhewn  logs.  It  was  de- 
fended by  rough  palisades,  and  at  the  time  of 
worship  within  its  enclosure  several  members  of 
the  "  Train-Band  ''  with  their  muskets  occupied 
special  seats  near  the  door.  For,  while  it  is  to 
the  credit  of  the  founders  of  Middletown  that 
they  treated  the  Indians  honorably,  having  little 
trouble  with  them,  yet  they  knew  too  well  the 
crafty,  revengeful  spirit  of  Sowheag,  their  chief, 
the  wigwams  of  whose  subjects  lined  the 
"  Great  River  "  on  either  side,  to  trust  them- 
selves wholly  to  his  good  will.  This  powerful, 
haughty  Sachem,  from  his  commanding  seat  on 
the  crest  of  Indian  Hill,  with  his  shrill  whistle 
could  summon  a  '*  considerable  "  force  of  armed 
warriors  to  execute  his  behests. 

In  this  modest,  ungainly  building  the  Inhabit- 
ants of  Middletown,  which  then  embraced  the 
present  territory  of  Middlefield,  of  Berlin,  in 
part,  of  Cromwell,  and  of  Chatham,  worshipped 
God  for  nearly  a  score  of  years.     To  make  it 


First  Church  of  Christ  1 1 

more  capacious, —  *'  At  a  town  meeting  March 
19,  1665,  It  was  voated  that  there  shall  be  a 
Galery  In  the  meeting-house  from  the  east  end 
to  the  middle  beams,  and  that  the  townsmen 
shall  have  power  to  order  the  work  and  get  it 
don."  Thus  It  is  evident  that  the  men  who  laid 
the  foundations  of  this  town  were  men  who 
feared  God,  and  who  aimed  to  live  according 
to  his  will.  Assembled  as  a  body  for  the  trans- 
action of  common  business,  they  did  not  forget 
to  legislate  in  behalf  of  their  religion.  Those 
hardy  pioneers  believed  in  the  ministry  of  the 
Word,  and  according  to  their  means  they  pro- 
vided facilities  therefor.  The  first  man  who 
ministered  to  them  for  any  length  of  time  was 
Mr.  Samuel  Stow.  Just  when  he  began  to  preach 
here  is  uncertain,  but  it  was  probably  not  very 
long  after  the  immigrants  arrived,  and  he  con- 
tinued his  work  till  1660.  Yet  the  people  were 
not  in  full  harmony  concerning  him.  The  ques- 
tions between  them  and  their  minister  were  so 
difficult  of  solution  that  the  aid  of  the  General 
Court  was  invoked.  And  '*  The  Court  did 
declare  that  ye  town  of  Middletown  are  free 
from  Mr.  Stow  as  their  engaged  minister,"  and 
appointed  "  a  Committee  to  further  a  settled 
minlstrie  in  that  place."     The    General    Court 


12  A  History  of  the 

also  directed  "  That  the  people  pay  Mr.  Stow 
£40  for  his  labor  in  the  ministry  the  year  past, 
that  the  people  be  free  from  their  engagement, 
and  that  Mr.  Stow  is  not  impinged  of  his  liberty 
to  preach  in  Middletown  to  such  as  will  attend 
him,  until  there  be  a  settled  minister  there." 

Mr.  Stow,  whose  parents  came  from  Eng- 
land in  1634,  when  he  was  twelve  years  of  age, 
was  graduated  from  Harvard  College  in  1645, 
and  some  years  later  came  to  this  town.  He  has 
the  distinction  of  being  the  first  minister  of  the 
Gospel  to  reside  here.  His  "  homelot "  here 
consisted  of  six  acres,  located  at  what  is  now  the 
north-west  corner  of  Main  and  Washington 
Streets.  But  he  owned  much  other  land  in  the 
township,  since,  when  he  died,  in  1704,  he  Is 
said  to  have  possessed  over  thirteen  hundred 
acres.  In  his  will  he  bequeathed  five  hundred 
and  five  acres  In  the  western  part  of  the  town 
to  endow  a  school  fund.  Thus  the  early  resi- 
dents of  the  town,  like  many  of  its  citizens  in  all 
its  history,  took  thought  for  education,  as  well 
as  for  religion. 

The  Committee  appointed  by  the  Court  to 
aid  the  town  In  Its  search  for  a  minister  some 
time  later  delivered  Itself  of  the  following 
advice  and  hope:    "  Since,  after  long  endeavors 


First  Church  of  Christ  13 

by  ye  people  there  to  procure  them  a  minister, 
there  appears  a  probability  of  their  obtaining  of 
Mr.  Collins  for  that  purpose, —  the  Committee 
doth  approve  of  their  proceedings  therein,  and 
of  his  acceptance  of  their  motion,  and  according 
to  the  mind  of  ye  Court  doe  advise  both  Mr. 
Stow  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  Middletown  to 
a  loving  carriage  to  Mr.  Collins,  and  a  friendly 
compliance  with  each  other, —  that  ye  memory 
of  all  former  differences  may  be  wholly  Buryed, 
and  that  Mr.  Collins  may  have  all  due  encour- 
agement in  ye  work  of  the  ministry  that  he  is 
called  unto  in  that  place,  and  that  the  long  de- 
sired comfortable  and  peaceable  settlement  of 
Middletown  may  be  obtained,  which  is  the 
desire  of  the  Committee  appointed  by  the  Gen- 
eral Court  to  promote  the  settlement  of  the 
ministry  there." 

Action  and  sentiments  like  the  above  show 
that  the  State  was  altogether  at  one  with  the 
Church  in  reference  to  the  ministry  of  the  latter. 
It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  time  of  their 
legal  separation  was  yet  far  in  the  future. 

The  mention  of  the  name  of  Mr.  Collins, 
however,  brings  us  to  a  vital  period  In  the  his- 
tory we  are  considering. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Founding  of  the  Church 
1668 

The  name  of  Nathaniel  Collins,  first  men- 
tioned near  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter,  is 
one  of  deep  significance,  not  only  to  the  First 
Church  of  Christ,  but  also  to  the  entire  town 
and  commonwealth.  The  wholesome  influence 
of  his  character  and  talents  extended  far  and 
wide.  In  1662  the  town  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee "  to  treat  with  Mr.  Collins  about  his 
acceptance  ''  of  a  certain  '*  two  hundred  fifty 
pound  lot  that  was  formerly  sequestered  for  a 
rouling  elder,"  and  "  his  settling  with  us  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry."  Later  in  the  same  year 
"  the  town  did  agree  that  the  house  for  Mr. 
Collins  should  be  36  foot  long,  18  foot  wide,  10 
foot  hy  between  joints,  and  ston  chimneys  in  the 
middell." 

The  first  record  of  salary  proffered  to  Mr. 
Collins  was  that  of  five  and  forty  pounds  ster- 
ling a  year.     His  preaching  here  seems  to  have 


15 


1 6  A  History  of  the 

begun  In  1661,  and  to  have  given  general  satis- 
faction to  the  people.  But  they  soon  manifested 
a  desire  to  be  bound  closer  to  each  other  and  to 
their  minister.  On  the  25th  of  January,  1664, 
a  vote  was  passed  that  they  ''  join  themselves  in 
church  order,  according  to  the  rules  of  the 
gospel,  as  god  shall  give  convenient  oper- 
tunity."  That  opportunity  did  not  arrive  until 
four  years  thereafter.  In  1665  the  situation 
was  set  forth  in  the  following  letter  addressed  to 
Mr.  Collins:  —  "Our  present  state  you  now 
know,  namly  that  God  by  his  providenc  hath 
brought  us  hopefully  nearere  gathering  into  an 
ekclyastlcall  body,  then  formerly,  though  some 
of  our  neighboures  and  brethren  are  wee  would 
hope  conscienclusly  differing  from  us  respecting 
the  maner  of  it,  namly  as  you  know  some  judg- 
ing wee  are  a  church  allredy,  others  that  wee  are 
not,  however  wee  that  thinke  wee  are  allredy  a 
church  and  wee  allso  that  thinke  wee  are  not 
but  in  some  short  time  may  be  one,  both  senca- 
bile  of  the  essentiall  need  of  an  officer  to  despenc 
the  sealles  as  well  as  the  word  amongst  us,  to 
such  as  shall  be  regularly  fitt,  doe  therefore  by 
these  presenc  give  you  to  know  that  our  eyes  are 
upon  and  our  desires  towards  yourself  for  that 
worke  as  soon  as  we  shall  be  in  such  a  capaset}^ 


First  Church  of  Christ  17 

and  request  your  answer  to  this  our  motion  as 
god  shall  direct  and  Incline,  so  deslering  god  to 
guide  you  In  this  great  motion  we  rest  waiting 
your  answer  your  loving  friends  and  neighbors, 
the  Inhabitants  of  MIddletown."  Sept.  4, 
1665. 

In  the  same  month  the  town  granted  to  Mr. 
Collins  fifty  pounds  for  the  year  ensuing.  In 
1667  the  sum  voted  was  fifty-five  pounds.  A 
fuller  and  more  formal  call  was  extended  to  Mr. 
Collins  December  26,  1667,  and  a  few  weeks 
later  a  Committee  was  appointed  to  Invite  other 
churches  to  a  Council  here.  The  Council  did 
not  meet  till  November  4,  1668.  Four  churches 
were  represented  In  It,  named  In  the  records 
thus,  evidently  according  to  their  ages;  the 
church  of  Christ  at  Windsor,  Heartford,  Farm- 
Ington  and  North  Hampton."  From  Windsor 
came  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Chauncy,  a  son  of  the 
then  President  of  Harvard  College,  and  himself 
a  graduate  of  that  Institution.  From  Hartford 
came  the  Rev.  John  Whiting,  also  a  Harvard 
graduate.  From  Farmlngton  came  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Hooker,  son  of  the  renowned  Dr. 
Thomas  Hooker,  likewise  a  graduate  of  Har- 
vard and  a  Fellow  there.  From  Northampton 
came  the  Rev.  Eleazer  Mather,  a  brother  of 


1 8  A  History  of  the 

the  noted  Dr.  Increase  Mather,  and  an  uncle  of 
the  more  famous  Cotton  Mather.  He,  too, 
was  graduated  at  Harvard  about  the  middle  of 
the  century.  There  were  six  laymen  present, 
indicating  that  some  of  the  churches  invited  sent 
more  than  one  delegate. 

Such  was  the  Council  under  whose  wise 
guidance  the  First  Church  of  Christ  in  Middle- 
town  was  organized,  in  the  rough  log  house 
where  its  founders  had  worshipped  for  fifteen 
years.  That  its  clerical  members  were  all  sons 
of  Harvard  College  was  almost  of  necessity  the 
case^  since  the  ministers  of  that  day  were 
educated  men,  and  this  was  the  only  institution 
in  New  England  where  a  liberal  training  was 
given.  Nearly  a  half  century  was  to  pass 
before  Yale  College  began  its  illustrious  career. 

The  fundamental  truths  of  the  Christian 
religion  to  which  the  ten  original  members  of 
the  Church  subscribed  were  stated  with  admir- 
able clearness  and  force  in  the  document  to 
which  they  affixed  their  names.  It  will  be 
found  entire  in  Appendix  A  to  this  volume. 
The  Covenant,  likewise,  by  which  these  stalwart 
pioneers  bound  themselves  together,  to  the 
Church,  and  to  its  divine  Head,  reveals  the  hand 
of  a  master  of  sentences. 


First  Church  of  Christ  19 


One  section  of  the  latter  is  worthy  of  special 

mention,  viz. : 

"Attending  his  Holy  will  made  known  to  us  in 
his  word,  that  wee  will  be  subject  to  ye  Government 
of  Christ  and  observe  all  those  Lawes  yt  he  hath  estab- 
lished in  his  kingdome,  soe  far  as  hitherto  he  hath  or 
hereafter  shall  be  pleased  to  reveale  ye  same  unto  us. 

Here,  surely,  is  a  provision  for  all  progress  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  broad  enough  to 
satisfy  the  most  radical.  The  sentence  breathes 
the  very  spirit  of  John  Robinson  himself  as  to 
the  possibility  of  more  truth  breaking  forth 
from  God's  word. 

The  minister,  Nathaniel  Collins,  was  the  first 
of  the  ten  men  who  assented  to  the  Creed  and 
signed  the  Covenant  of  the  Church.     Of  the 
others,  John  Hall,  Jr.,  Samuell  Stockin,  Senior, 
and   Thomas  Wetmer,    Senior,   were   certainly 
here  from  the  beginning  of  the  town.     While 
Thomas  Allen,  Andrew  Warner,  Senior,  George 
Hubbard,  and  William  Harriss  were  among  the 
earliest     inhabitants.     Thomas     Allen,     John 
Hall,  George  Hubbard,  Andrew  Warner,  and 
Thomas  Wetmore  lived  near  the  meeting-house. 
Daniel  Harris,  John  Savage,  and  Samuel  Stock- 
ing lived  at  the  Upper  Houses,  or  what  is  now 
Cromwell. 


20  A  History  of  the 

It  is  supposed  that  Mr.  Hall  came  to  Middle- 
town  from  England,  Mr.  Wetmore  from 
Wales,  Messrs.  Hubbard,  Savage,  and  Stocking 
from  Hartford,  Mr.  Allen  and  the  Warners 
from  Windsor,  Mr.  Harris  from  Boston,  while 
Mr.  Collins,  the  minister,  was  from  Cambridge. 
Most  of  them  were  men  of  no  ordinary  stamp, 
as  were  the  members  of  the  Council  Invited  to 
confer  with  them  respecting  the  project  in  hand. 

How  long  these  messengers  of  the  churches 
deliberated  on  the  matter  for  which  they  were 
convened  does  not  appear.  But  there  could 
have  been  no  question  as  to  the  wisdom  of 
acceding  to  the  wishes  of  the  people  here  for  a 
church  of  their  own.  They  had  shown  them- 
selves to  be  Christian  believers,  and  they  were  a 
dozen  miles  away  from  Wethersfield,  where  was 
the  nearest  church.  Hence  this  Church  was 
framed  on  the  very  day  of  the  assembling  of  the 
Council,  and  Its  first  act  was  to  elect  Mr.  Collins 
"  to  the  office  of  a  pastour  among  them,  prom- 
iseing  that  If  desired  by  him  and  themselves  in 
a  capacity  they  would  provide  a  fellow  labourer 
in  the  word  and  Doctrine,  whereupon  he  ac- 
cepted and  at  the  request  of  the  church  was 
ordained  by  the  Reverend  Mr.  Mather  and  Mr. 
Whiteing."     The  closeness  of  the  relation  be- 


First  Church  of  Christ  21 

tween  the  town  and  the  Church  Is  seen  In  the 
statement  preceding  the  above  record,  "  the 
Towne  haveing  formerly  jointly  invited  to  and 
desired  it." 

Thus  was  consummated  the  grand  work  of 
that  November  day  In  1668  on  the  shore  of 
our  noble  River.  A  small  company  of  follow- 
ers of  Jesus  Christ  here,  desiring  to  band  them- 
selves together  for  the  worship  and  service  of 
God,  had  summoned  their  brethren  of  churches 
in  the  vicinage  to  advise  them.  In  accordance 
with  the  counsel  of  their  neighbors,  they  insti- 
tuted a  church  of  the  New  Testament  type, 
chose  their  minister  from  their  own  number,  and 
requested  their  friends  to  ordain  him  to  his 
sacred  office.  Here  was  Congregationalism  in 
its  purity  and  its  simplicity,  the  sovereign  earthly 
power  resident  in  the  local  body  of  disciples, 
not  in  a  hierarchy  superior  to  themselves. 
Nevertheless,  these  Christians,  in  full  sympathy 
with  their  fellow  believers,  sought  their  wisdom 
and  their  fellowship,  that  they  might  be  the 
more  sure  to  act  according  to  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit.  There  was  present  here  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church,  in  the  plenitude  of  its  power, 
and  here  the  bounds  of  that  Church  were  en- 
larged by  the  addition  of  a  new  society  of  wor- 
shippers of  the  Triune  God. 


2  2  A  History  of  the 

Such  was  the  humble  origin  of  this  beloved 
Church  whose  two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniver- 
sary arrives  in  this  year  of  our  Lord,  191 8.  It 
Is  not  easy  for  us  to  place  ourselves  backward 
two  centuries  and  a  half  to  the  date  of  its  birth. 
It  may  help  us  so  to  do  If  we  recall  a  few 
familiar  facts  of  history. 

On  the  throne  of  England  in  1668  sat  Charles 
II,  though  the  Commonwealth  had  been  aban- 
doned only  eight  years  earlier,  and  the  renowned 
Oliver  Cromwell  had  been  dead  but  a  decade. 
John  Milton  had  yet  six  years  to  live,  but  only 
the  year  previous  he  had  made  the  famous  sale 
of  his  Paradise  Lost  for  the  paltry  sum  of  five 
pounds.  John  Bunyan  had  been  for  seven 
years  in  prison,  though  his  Immortal  dream  was 
not  to  see  the  light  for  nine  years  to  come.  In 
France,  Louis  XIV  was  In  the  height  of  his 
splendid  reign  with  the  brilliant  Colbert  as  his 
minister  of  Finance,  and  the  Illustrious  Prince 
of  Conde  as  commander  of  his  armies.  It  was 
but  twenty  years  from  the  Treaty  of  West- 
phalia, which  brought  to  a  close  the  dreary 
Thirty  Years  War,  and  gave  peace  to  Europe. 

In  this  country,  John  Winthrop,  the  first 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,  had  closed  his 
eminent  career  less  than  a  score  of  years  before 


First  Church  of  Christ  23 

this  Church  was  planted,  while  his  distinguished 
son  and  namesake  was  in  the  midst  of  his 
memorable  governorship  of  the  Connecticut 
Colony.  Only  six  years  earlier  he  had  been  the 
chief  instrument  in  obtaining  the  royal  charter 
for  this  Colony  from  the  hand  of  Charles  II. 
William  Bradford  had  died  only  eleven  years 
before,  and  Miles  Standish  but  twelve.  It  was 
but  four  years  after  the  first  printing  of  John 
Eliot's  remarkable  Bible  for  the  Indians. 
There  was  only  one  College  in  America,  though 
that,  in  the  thirty  years  of  its  existence,  had  be- 
come the  cherishing  mother  of  many  noble  sons, 
some  of  whom,  as  we  have  seen,  had  been 
closely  related  to  this  Church.  Only  eleven 
states  had  been  settled  at  all,  and  the  entire 
population  of  the  Country  was  hardly  more 
than  two  hundred  thousand.  Facts  like  these 
may  aid  us  to  realize  the  venerable  age  of  this 
First  Church  of  Christ. 

We  must  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  Rev. 
Nathaniel  Collins  and  his  ministry,  which  had 
been  so  auspiciously  begun  before  the  ''  ecclesi- 
astical embodying  "  of  his  flock. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Ministry  of  Nathaniel  Collins 
1668-1684 

Nathaniel  Collins  was  the  son  of  Dea. 
Edward  Collins,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where 
he  was  born  in  1642.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
he  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  prob- 
ably living  at  his  home  during  his  course  there. 
When  he  took  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in 
1663,  he  was  assigned  an  honorary  oration. 
He  seems  to  have  come  to  Middletown  soon 
after  his  graduation,  and  he  remained  here  till 
his  death  in  1684.  I  am  not  aware  that  any  of 
his  sermons  have  come  down  to  us,  though  we 
have  one  or  more  of  all  the  other  pastors  of  the 
Church. 

Mr.  Collins  appears  to  have  been  something 
of  a  soldier,  as  well  as  a  preacher,  since,  in 
1 68 1,  "  for  his  good  service  in  sundry  expedi- 
tions and  engagements  against  the  Indians,  the 
General  Court  granted  him  a  farm  of  two 
hundred  acres."     It  was  no  light  responsibility 

25 


26  A  History  of  the 

which  rested  upon  him  here,  that  of  shaping  the 
character  of  the  infant  Church,  which  was 
nearly  the  same  thing  as  moulding  the  town,  of 
which  it  was  the  central  and  most  important 
institution.  Yet  few  events  of  special  sig- 
nificance marked  his  ministry. 

The  first  member  received  by  him  after  the 
forming  of  the  Church  was  Giles  Hamlin,  a 
man  of  considerable  prominence,  not  only  in  the 
affairs  of  the  town,  but  of  the  colony.  He  was 
the  father  of  the  Hon.  John  Hamlin,  and  the 
grandfather  of  the  Hon.  Jabez  Hamlin,  both 
men  of  stalwart  character  and  of  commanding 
influence.  The  latter  was  for  thirty-seven  years 
a  Deacon  of  the  Church.  He  was  also  the 
first  Mayor  of  the  city  at  its  incorporation  in 
1784,  and  was  annually  re-elected  till  his  death, 
in  1 79 1. 

Several  persons  were  received  Dec.  30,  1668, 
two  of  them  being  wives  of  original  members, 
"A  report  of  their  knowledge  and  the  Ground 
and  reason  of  their  hope  beeing  given  by  the 
elder  in  the  face  of  the  congregation  owned  by 
themselves  each  one  in  particular  and  also  what 
had  been  matter  of  publick  offense  in  any  of 
them  publickly  owned."  Jan.  20,  1669,  "  The 
Church  concluded  upon  a  Monthly  Conference 


First  Church  of  Christ  27 

to  bee  kept  up  the  whole  day  and  occasionally  ye 
conference  day  Improved  as  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer."  Thus  early  was  the  value  of  Christian 
fellowship  and  of  intercourse  with  the  unseen 
God  recognized  by  these  sturdy  pioneers. 

The  first  Deacons  were  elected  May  16, 
1670,  and  their  names  were  Thomas  Allen, 
Samuell  Stockin,  and  John  Hall,  Jr.  On  the 
following  Sunday  they  were  ordained  to  "  the 
office  of  Deacons  In  this  particular  Church  of 
Christ,  each  commended  to  ye  grace  of  God 
therein  by  prayers  with  Imposition  of  Hands." 
How  long  this  method  of  setting  apart  Deacons 
continued  does  not  appear,  but  it  has  been  in  use 
during  the  last  half  century. 

In  February,  1671,  deep  solicitude  was  felt 
for  the  children  of  the  Church,  and  the  last  day 
of  the  month  was  observed  as  a  time  of  special 
fasting  and  prayer  for  them.  On  that  day  ''  ye 
church  with  ye  generality  of  their  children  met 
at  ye  officers'  house.  Haveing  begun  with 
prayer  in  ye  morning  ye  officers  acquainted  ye 
children  with  ye  voat,  read  them  ye  confession  of 
faith  and  order,  and  also  the  covenant,  with  a 
particular  explanation  of  each  article,  with  ye 
scripture  botom  on  which  it  stood."  In  the 
afternoon  there  were  other  exercises,  and  the 


2  8  A  History  of  the 

case  was  "  committed  to  God  in  prayer  by  Dea- 
con Stockin,  and  soe  with  a  psalm  and  blessing 
ye  church  was  dismist,  both  parents  and  children 
commended  to  ye  grace  of  God."  Action  like 
this  is  freighted  v/ith  instruction  for  our  own 
time,  and  it  might  well  be  repeated  in  its  spirit, 
if  not  in  its  precise  form.  Our  youth  are  too 
little  versed  in  the  faith  and  order  of  the 
Church,  while  Christians  as  a  rule  feel  scant 
solicitude  for  their  spiritual  welfare. 

In  1679  the  population  of  the  town  had  so 
increased  that  the  little  meeting-house  at  the 
head  of  Main  Street,  even  with  its  gallery,  was 
insufficient  for  them.  Hence  on  the  eleventh 
of  November  It  was  voted  to  build  a  new  house, 
*'  thirty-two  feet  square,  and  fifteen  feet  betvv^een 
joints."  But  the  views  of  the  residents  of  the 
Upper  and  the  Lower  Houses  did  not  coincide 
as  to  its  location.  It  was  finally  agreed,  how- 
ever, that  it  should  stand  on  the  east  side  of 
Main  Street,  nearly  opposite  what  is  now 
Liberty  Street.  This  structure  was  also  built 
of  logs,  and  was  probably  defended  by  pali- 
sades, as  the  first  had  been.  This  house  was 
occupied  for  thirty-five  years,  but  the  citizens  at 
the  Upper  Houses  had  an  edifice  of  their  own 
for  the  last  twelve  years  of  its  use  by  the  Church 
here. 


First  Church  of  Christ  29 


Mr.  Collins  died  December  28,  1684,  at  the 
age  of  forty-two,  in  the  very  flower  of  his  man- 
hood. Cotton  Mather,  who  seems  to  have 
been  fully  conversant  with  his  life  and  work, 
accords  him  generous  praise.  He  says  that 
''  all  the  qualities  of  most  exemplai-y  piety,  ex- 
traordinary ingenuity,  obliging  affability,  join'd 
with  the  accomplishments  of  an  extraordinary 
preacher,  did  render  him  truly  excellent. 

"  The  pastoral  work  with  holy  zeal  he  wrought, 
Teaching  by  doing —  doing  what  he  taught." 

Mr.  Mather  adds  that  he  "  would  have  made 
an  essay  to  have  lamented  the  fate  of  this  our 
Collins  in  verse,"  except  that  he  could  not  equal 
the  merits  of  the  man,  and  that  poetry  had  be- 
come so  base  as  not  to  be  trusted."  Later,  how- 
ever, he  repented,  and  committed  the  folly  of 
writing  "  An  Elegy  on  the  much-to-be-deplored 
Death  of  that  Never-to  be-forgotten  Person. 
Its  uncouth  and  bombastic  lines  assure  us  that 
the  first  thought  of  the  writer  was  wiser  than 
the  second. 

•'  Pitty,  the  Church  of  Middletown  bespeaks,  ^^ 
Set  in  the  midst  of  sorrows,  sobs,  and  shrieks. 

And  this  is  the  close  of  the  grotesque,  un- 
musical rhymes : 


30  A  History  of  the 

"  Save  Middletown,  and  cause  the  Place  to  thrive 

Under  Fat  Clouds,  still,  and  that  Bochim  let 

By  thy  Provision  be  a  Bethel  yet : 

Save  every  soul  that  reads  this  elegy; 

Like  Collins  let  us  live,  like  Collins  dv.     Amen." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Ministry  of  Noadiah  Russel 
1688-1713 

After  the  death  of  the  first  pastor  another 
was  not  secured  for  nearly  four  years,  the  long- 
est period  the  Church  has  been  without  an  in- 
stalled minister  in  its  entire  history.  It  was  not 
till  the  24th  of  October,  1688,  that  Mr.  Noa- 
diah Russel  was  ordained,  just  two  weeks  before 
William  of  Orange  was  welcomed  to  the  shores 
of  England.  Of  these  years  no  record  has 
come  down  to  us.  On  this  date  is  the  follow- 
ing instructive  entry : — 

''Noadiah  Russel  (being  formally  Invited  and 
elected  by  ye  general  vote  of  Church  and  Town  to  a 
settlement  among  them  In  ye  work  of  ye  mmistry) 
was  at  ye  desire  of  ye  Church  ordained  a  Pastor  to  ye 
sd  Church  in  MIddletown,  by  the  Revernd  Mr.  John 
Whiting  and  Mr.  Samll  Hooker:  the  rest  of  ye  elders 
and  messlngers  then  present  Approving  thereof.  Being 
admittd  a  member  by  a  lettr  from  ye  church  in 
Ipswich  the  sabbath  before." 

Here  was  an  early  instance  of  the  usage  in 
full  accord  with  the  principles  of  Congregation- 

31 


32  A  History  of  the 

alism,  viz.  the  minister  being  one  of  the  flock 
which  he  serves,  and  to  which  he  Is  accountable. 

Mr.  Whiting  had  laid  his  hands  upon  the  first 
pastor,  and  Mr.  Hooker  was  a  member  of  the 
Council  In  1668. 

Mr.  Russel  was  born  In  New  Haven  In  1659, 
the  son  of  William  Russel,  who  came  from 
England  to  Connecticut.  His  father,  who  died 
only  five  or  six  years  after  the  birth  of  this,  his 
youngest  child,  expressed  in  his  will  the  desire 
that  he  ''  be  devoted  to  God  In  the  way  of  learn- 
ing, being  likely  to  prove  a  useful  Instrument  in 
the  work  of  the  ministry!"  This  wish  was 
faithfully  carried  out,  and  young  Noadlah  was 
graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  168 1,  after  a 
most  honorable  record  as  a  student.  He  was 
continued  as  "  scholar  of  the  house  "  after  his 
graduation,  and  was  also  employed  in  "  picking 
out"  and  making  a  catalogue  of  "  ye  double 
books  in  the  library."  In  1683  he  was  invited 
to  become  the  minister  of  the  church  in  Matta- 
tuck,  the  Indian  name  of  Waterbury,  Connecti- 
cut, which  then  included  several  of  its  now 
adjacent  towns.  Instead  of  accepting  this  in- 
vitation he  was  "  established  in  ye  work  of  a 
schoolmaster "  in  Ipswich,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  remained  for  nearly  three  years.     He 


First  Church  of  Christ  33 


had  several  other  calls  to  settle  in  the  ministry, 
but  at  the  end  of  his  *'  tryall  "  period  he  ac- 
cepted a  unanimous  invitation  to  come  to  this 
Church.  His  salary  was  to  be  "  one  hundred 
pounds  clean  current  county  pay  yearly,"  and  a 
house.  A  donation  of  land  was  subsequently 
made  to  him.  A  vote  of  the  town  ''warns 
the  inhabitants,  when  they  shall  think  it  is  the 
most  convenient  season,  to  bring  him  his  supply 
of  wood,  and  it  is  expected  that  every  one  that 
hath  a  team  shall  bring  one  load,  and  such  as 
have  no  team  shall  assist  by  cutting,  so  that  as 
much  as  possible  can  be  done  in  one  day:  but 
there  shall  be  no  compulsion  heaped  upon  any 


one." 


Mr.  Russel  left  Ipswich  on  his  way  to  Mid- 
dletown  March  29,  1687.  He  came  by  way  of 
Boston  and  Springfield,  taking  five  days  for  the 
journey.  He  reached  this  place  on  Saturday, 
April  2,  doubtless  weary  after  so  long  a  ride  on 
horseback.  At  any  rate,  Mr.  Stow,  who  was 
still  living  here,  preached  in  the  morning  of  the 
following  day,  and  the  candidate  in  the  after- 
noon. He  seems  to  have  occupied  the  pulpit 
most  of  the  time  till  November  15,  when  the 
town  and  Church  extended  to  him  a  unanimous 
call  to  the  pastorate.     During  the  summer  he 


34  ^  History  of  the 

made  frequent  excursions  to  Hartford,  going 
once  as  far  as  Hadley  and  "  Dearfield."  At 
the  latter  place  he  preached,  and  on  his  return 
attended  a  lecture  of  Mr.  Stoddard  in  North- 
ampton, or  "  Hampton,"  as  he  called  the  town. 
In  his  little  Almanac  of  that  year  are  recorded 
many  curious  incidents,  attractive  now  by  reason 
of  their  antiquity. 

The  minister  was  not  married  till  more  than 
a  year  after  his  ordination,  when  he  was  so  rash 
as  to  take  for  his  wife  a  member  of  his  own 
church,  Miss  Mary,  the  daughter  of  the  Hon. 
Giles  Hamlin.  This  bold  act  did  not  prevent 
him  from  remaining  in  the  parish  till  his  death, 
nearly  twenty-four  years  after.  His  ministry 
was  a  successful  one,  though  there  were  few 
marked  events  in  it. 

In  1696,  March  i,  the  opening  of  the  new 
year,  action  was  taken  in  reference  to  children 
similar  to  that  had  in  167 1.  A  Day  of  fasting 
and  prayer  was  observed  "  yt  God  would  bestow 
covenant  mercys  upon  covenant  children,  for 
down  pouring  of  his  Spirit  upon  ye  rising  gen- 
eration, yt  God  would  give  us  and  them  a  heart 
to  know  ye  God  of  our  fathers  &  to  serve  him 
with  a  cheerful  &  willing  mind  seeing  yt 
Joshua  &  ye  elders  outlived  him  are  gone,  and 


First  Church  of  Christ  35 

of  those  worthies  yt  laid  the  foundation  of  this 
our  ZIon,  there  Is  not  a  man  living:  yt  the  ever- 
living  God  who  changeth  not  would  give  us  and 
them  grace  &  wisdome  a  holy  zeal  &  courage  to 
make  good  our  and  their  leaders  ground  yt  we 
may  together  Imitate  ye  good  example  of  those 
who  through  their  faith  &  Patience  do  Inherit 
the  Promises." 

This  was  a  rare  occasion  for  "  owning  the 
covenant,"  and  It  made  a  deep  impression  on  the 
people.  The  close  of  the  gratifying  record 
runs  as  follows:  "  The  number  of  those  yt  gave 
in  their  names  was  93:  55  males  most  of  ym 
above  21  years  of  age:  38  females  most  above 
18."  Such  a  response  of  his  flock  must  have 
kindled  flaming  joy  in  the  pastor's  heart,  though 
this  "  owning  the  covenant  "  was  by  no  means 
equivalent  to  a  full  confession  of  Christ.  It 
was  a  compromise  by  which  persons  might  sus- 
tain a  kind  of  relation  to  the  Church,  and  enjoy 
some  of  its  privileges,  without  assuming  the  en- 
tire responsibility  of  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

Three  years  later,  on  the  first  day  of  the 
closing  year  of  the  century,  *'  The  Church  and 
Town  kept  a  day  of  Public  Fasting  &  Prayer  to 
begge  of  God  yt  he  would  revive  his  work 
among  us,  &  free  us  from  that  cold  &  lukewarm 


36  A  History  of  the 

frame  of  spirit  yt  is  fallen  upon  too  many  pro- 
fessors of  the  Gospel,  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon 
the  rising  generation,  sanctify  his  providential 
dealings,  &  be  with  us  in  ye  return  of  ye  year.*' 
At  the  same  time  a  confession  was  made  of  sin 
''  in  taking  away  "ye  Indian  skins,"  "  and  two 
others  of  violations  of  the  ninth  commandment. 
Some  years  later  a  certain  man  "  made  confes- 
sion of  his  sin  in  tampering  or  bargaining  with 
ye  Devil,  in  its  several  aggravations !" 

In  the  first  year  of  the  i8th  century  Mr.  Rus- 
sel  was  one  of  those  far-seeing,  scholarly  min- 
isters who  founded  Yale  College  at  Saybrook. 
He  was  one  of  the  Fellows  of  the  Institution 
from  its  foundation  till  his  death  —  twelve 
years.  In  1708  he  was  with  the  assembly  which 
in  the  same  historic  town  framed  the  now  fa- 
mous Saybrook  Platform,  as  one  of  the  three 
clerical  delegates  from  Hartford  County.  Thus 
his  influence  was  not  confined  to  the  tov/n  in 
which  he  dwelt,  but  reached  out  to  wider  inter- 
ests. Not  only  was  he  an  intelligent  and  a 
devout  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  but  he  labored 
to  promote  education  in  the  Colony.  His 
labors  in  solidifying  and  enlarging  this  Church 
in  its  early  years  cannot  be  overestimated.  As  a 
youth  he  had  been  under  the  ministry  of  Daven- 


First  Church  of  Christ  37 

port  and  Street  In  New  Haven.  He  had  been 
at  Harvard  some  years  more  than  the  ordinary 
course  of  study,  he  had  received  the  Invaluable 
dIscIpHne  of  teaching,  so  that  he  was  well 
equipped  for  his  mission  here.  Coming  as  he 
did  in  what  Dr.  Bacon  called  "  a  time  of  greater 
depression  and  greater  peril  In  church  and  state 
than  any  other  In  the  history  of  New  England," 
at  the  vigorous  age  of  twenty-nine,  he  gave 
himself  without  reserve  to  the  upbuilding  of 
this  Church  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  —  till 
his  death  In  17 13.  He  fostered  pure  and  un- 
defiled  religion  In  the  Church,  Increased  Its  mem- 
bers greatly,  promoted  Its  Intelligence,  and 
strengthened  Its  hold  of  the  community.  His 
widow  survived  him  for  thirty  years,  living  to 
the  age  of  fourscore,  exerting  a  holy  Influence, 
and  leaving  a  hallowed  memory.  They  had 
nine  children,  two  of  whom  were  graduated  at 
Yale  College,  and  entered  the  ministry, —  one, 
William,  as  the  successor  of  his  father,  the 
other,  Daniel,  at  Stepney,  now  Rocky  Hill. 

Like  his  predecessor,  Mr.  Russel  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  be  commemorated  In  verse,  probably 
by  a  son  of  Mr.  Collins. 

"  His  Speech  was  sweet,  &  Aspect  well  might  win, 
But  greater,  Richer  Beauty  lay  within. 


38  A  History  of  the 

His  Head  with  Learning,  Prudence,  Holy  Art, 
Firm  Faith  &  Love,  Humility  his  Heart, 
Peaceful  &  Meek,  but  yet,  with  Courage  Stout, 
Engaged  the  Fiend,  and  did  him  sorely  Rout. 
Oh!  with  what  skill  did  he  GOD'S  Word  divide: 
'Twas  first  unvailed  &  then  with  warmth  apply'd. 
He  dealt  to  each  with  care  his  Portion  due. 
Dread  Woes  to  some,  to  others  Comforts  new. 
Unto  Christ's  Lambs  he  was  a  tender  Nurse, 
But  smartly  scourg'd  all  such  as  still  grew  worse." 

(From  a  poem  "On  the  much  lamented  DEATH  of  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Noadiah  Russel,  late  Pastor  of  the  Church 
of  Christ  in  Middletown,  who  had  his  Clayey  Tabernacle 
dissolved  and  his  Mortality  Swallowed  up  of  Life,  Dec. 
3,  1713.") 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Ministry  of  William  Russel 
1715-1761 

The  Church  was  now  a  year  and  a  half  with- 
out a  pastor,  excepting  its  last  vacancy,  the 
longest  period  the  pastorate  has  ever  been  un- 
filled. During  this  time  the  Church  at  the 
Upper  Houses  was  formed.  The  people  there 
built  a  house  of  worship  in  1703,  though  they 
had  no  organization  till  January  5,  1715.  Of 
their  twenty-three  original  members,  twenty 
were  from  the  mother  Church,  one  from  some 
other,  and  "  two  were  taken  from  the  world." 

Mr.  William  Russel,  the  oldest  child  of  the 
former  pastor,  was  ordained  here  June  i,  17 15, 
being  "  called  by  a  unanimous  vote  of  this 
South  Society  and  Church  therein  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry  among  them."  This  was  long  be- 
fore there  was  any  other  society  here,  and  that 
at  the  Upper  Houses  was,  owing  to  its  location, 
the  North  Society.  Mr.  Russel  was  born  in 
1690,  and  had  the  inestimable  advantage  of  his 


39 


40  A  History  of  the 

father's  example  and  training.  He  was  grad- 
uated at  Yale  College  in  Saybrook  in  1709,  and 
hence  had  been  four  years  out  of  College  when 
his  father  entered  into  rest.  At  the  time  of  his 
father's  lamented  departure  he  was  a  tutor  in 
his  Alma  Mater.  From  1745  till  his  death  in 
1 76 1  he  was  a  Fellow  of  the  College.  He  was 
here  four  years  after  his  ordination  before  he 
was  married,  doubtless  living  with  his  mother, 
being  greatly  helped  by  her  wise  counsel  and 
tender  sympathy.  Thus,  in  many  ways,  he  was 
admirably  prepared  for  his  remarkable  period 
of  service  in  this  Church.  Mr.  Russel  married 
in  17 19  Miss  Mary  Pierpont,  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Jam.es  Pierpont,  of  New  Haven,  and  Mary 
Hooker,  a  granddaughter  of  Thomas  Hooker, 
the  renowned  first  pastor  in  Hartford.  Her 
father  was  noted  for  his  wisdom,  his  gentleness, 
and  his  fidelity, —  one  of  the  noblest  men  whose 
names  adorn  the  early  annals  of  New  England. 
Her  sister,  Sarah  Pierpont,  in  1727  became  the 
wife  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  the  eminent 
preacher  and  masterly  theologian,  whose  name 
has  given  to  America  so  enviable  a  distinction. 
A  model  of  Christian  prudence,  humility,  and 
activity,  she  was,  says  Dr.  Bacon,  "  like  a 
ministering  angel  to   her  husband,  who   could 


First  Church  of  Christ  41 

never  have  fulfilled  his  destiny  without  her.'* 
Here,  again,  was  a  large  addition  to  the  equip- 
ment of  Mr.  Russel  for  the  responsible  position 
to  which  he  was  summoned.  His  wife,  like  her 
better  known  sister,  became  a  tower  of  strength 
to  her  husband. 

The  very  year  in  which  William  Russel  be- 
came the  pastor  of  the  Church  a  new  house  of 
worship  was  erected  on  High  Street,  near  the 
head  of  what  Is  now  Church  Street.  This  was 
a  strange  location,  far  from  the  centre  of  the 
population,  and  still  farther  from  the  settlement 
of  the  Upper  Houses.  But  the  site  was  chosen 
by  lot,  as  the  people  could  not  otherwise  agree 
where  It  should  stand.  Though  the  place  was 
one  where  no  person  desired  the  house  to  be 
reared,  yet  such  was  their  reverence  for  the  lot, 
as  indicating  the  will  of  God,  they  held  sacredly 
and  amicably  to  its  decision.  The  edifice  was 
sixty  feet  long  and  forty  feet  wide,  two  stories 
in  height,  with  spacious  galleries.  No  picture 
of  it  has  come  down  to  us,  yet  tradition  reports 
it  to  have  been  an  ungainly  structure.  After 
twenty-five  years  it  was  outgrown,  and  an  addi- 
tion eighteen  feet  in  width  was  stretched  along 
the  westerly  side  of  it.  *'  The  house  was  then," 
says  the  Rev.  Enoch  Huntington,  who  preached 


42  A  History  of  the 

in  It  thirty-eight  years,  "  almost  sixty  feet 
square,  capacious  indeed,  but  of  uncouth  appear- 
ance, and  very  ill  accommodated  for  the  advan- 
tage of  the  speaker,  the  Shape,  the  Beams  & 
pillars,  &  the  whole  Architecture,  Position  & 
construction  of  the  various  Parts  being  such  as 
very  much  to  obstruct,  rather  than  in  any 
measure  to  assist  the  voice."  Thus  It  appears 
that  modern  architects  are  not  the  only  ones  who 
are  guilty  of  planning  auditoriums  unsulted  to 
their  purpose. 

The  course  of  Mr.  Russel's  ministry  was  quite 
uniform  for  twenty  years.  The  average  num- 
ber of  accessions  to  the  Church  was  about  seven. 
There  were  cases  of  discipline  now  and  then, 
but  they  did  not  seem  to  disturb  the  even  tenor 
of  the  Church's  life.  In  17 17  a  woman  made 
confession  of  "  her  bad  and  wicked  words." 
The  same  year  there  was  a  case  of  persistent 
intemperance.  In  1726  "Job,  negroe,  offered 
a  confession  for  his  abusing  his  master  and 
mistress,  which  the  Church  took  into  their  con- 
sideration." Three  years  later  there  was  a 
public  acknowledgement  of  the  "  sins  of  injus- 
tice and  quarrelling."  These  slns^  and  others 
of  a  worse  nature,  do  not  seem  to  have  been  less 
frequent   in   the   "  good   old   days"   than   they 


First  Church  of  Christ  43 


are  at  present.  The  Church  was  more  strict 
In  its  deahngs  with  them,  and  hence  they  occupy 
considerable  space  in  musty  records.  Yet  we 
should  be  careful  not  to  draw  unfair  inferences 
from  them  as  to  the  prevalence  of  iniquity  in 
former  times.  In  1720  two  persons  from  Ston- 
ington  were  baptized  here,  as  there  was  no 
minister  in  that  town.  Indeed,  the  entries  of 
baptisms  are  the  principal  ones  in  the  early 
records  of  the  Church.  The  "  Half  Way 
Covenant  "  made  it  easy  to  secure  this  Christian 
rite  without  entire  allegiance  to  Christ. 

The  principal  events  of  this  long  pastorate 
were  the  ample  ingatherings  between  the  years 
1736  and  1742.  In  1734  began  the  wonderful 
work  of  grace  in  Northampton  under  the 
preaching  of  Jonathan  Edwards.  The  next 
year,  says  Mr.  Edwards,  '^  the  town  seemed 
to  be  full  of  the  presence  of  God."  The  fire  of 
the  Lord  spread  through  many  towns  In  the 
valley  of  the  Connecticut,  and  Its  heat  was  to 
some  extent  felt  here.  Of  course,  the  pastor, 
familiar  as  he  was  with  Mr.  Edwards,  must 
have  been  profoundly  stirred  by  what  God  did 
through  him  In  Northampton,  where  It  was 
estimated  that  three  hundred  persons  were  con- 
verted in  the  space  of  half  a  year.     And  the  re- 


44  ^  History  of  the 

suits  of  this  quickening  soon  began  to  appear  in 
the  harvests  he  gathered.  In  1737  he  received 
nineteen  persons  on  confession  of  their  faith,  a 
larger  number  than  In  any  previous  year  of  his 
ministry.  In  1738  he  received  seventeen  In  the 
same  manner.  In  1741  thirty-five  persons  con- 
fessed Christ,  fifteen  of  them  being  heads  of 
families.  In  1742  the  number  rose  to  sixty- 
eight.  The  abundant  fruitage  of  these  last  two 
years  was  doubtless  owing  In  large  measure,  on 
the  human  side,  to  the  mighty  Influence  of 
George  Whitefield.  This  eloquent  preacher 
came  to  New  England  In  1740,  and  went 
through  its  length  and  breadth  conquering  and 
to  conquer.  After  his  unprecedented  triumphs 
In  Boston  and  Eastern  New  England,  he  came 
to  Northampton,  where  the  flames  of  revival 
had  already  broken  out  afresh,  and  where  he 
had  sweet  converse  with  Edwards.  On  his  way 
thence  to  New  Haven,  the  superb  orator  thrilled 
the  people  of  MIddletown  and  Its  vicinity  with 
his  fiery  eloquence,  bringing  not  a  few  of  them 
to  own  the  claims  of  Christ.  A  warm  friend- 
ship is  said  to  have  sprung  up  between  Mr. 
Whitefield  and  the  pastor  of  this  Church. 

These  years  witnessed  the  last  considerable 
accessions  In  the  pastorate  of  William  Russel. 


First  Church  of  Christ  45 

For  Its  remaining  years  only  three  or  four  mem- 
bers were  welcomed  annually. 

Mr.  Russel  was  the  Scribe  of  the  General 
Association  of  Connecticut  In  1743  and  1744, 
Its  Moderator  In  1750,  and  preached  Its  annual 
sermon  In  1759.  In  1730  he  was  the  preacher 
before  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Colony,  at 
Hartford.  The  Intimate  relation  between  the 
Church  and  the  State  in  those  days  is  seen  in  the 
subject  of  the  sermon  on  that  occasion,  viz.  The 
Decay  of  Love  to  God  in  Churches.  In  this 
discourse  he  uttered  many  wholesome  truths 
to  the  legislators.  Among  other  forcible 
sentences  he  uttered  the  following:  "Vigor- 
ously Improve  your  Authority  and  the  Power 
committed  to  you,  to  punish  and  suppress  pro- 
faneness.  Drunkenness,  Uncleanness  and  Un- 
righteousness, &c.  that  so  Evil  may  be  taken 
away  from  the  midst  of  us,  viz.  that  the  Publick 
may  not  contract  guilt,  by  those  Evil  things  that 
are  done  among  us.  Bear  not  the  Sword  in 
vain;  but  as  the  ministers  of  God,  execute  wrath 
upon  them  that  do  Evil.  Direct  and  Encour- 
age Inferior  Officers,  And  Indeavour  that  the 
Law  shall  attain  Its  end,  to  defend  and  relieve 
the  Innocent  and  Righteous,  and  to  detect  and 
punish  the  Guilty  and  Evil-doer:  And  that  no 


46  A  History  of  the 

wiles  shall  prevent  right  Judgment  going  forth. 
Be  Eyes  to  the  blind,  and  Feet  to  the  lame,  and 
a  Defence  to  the  poor  and  helpless,  against  them 
that  are  too  mighty  and  crafty  for  them. 
Brake  the  jaws  of  the  wicked,  and  pluck  the 
spoil  out  of  his  teeth.  Take  heed  what  you  do, 
for  ye  Judge  not  for  man,  but  for  the  Lord; 
who  is  with  you  in  the  Judgment.  Wherefore 
now,  let  the  fear  of  the  Lord  be  upon  you,  take 
heed  and  do  it:  for  there  is  no  Iniquity  with  the 
Lord  our  God,  nor  respect  of  persons,  nor  tak- 
ing of  Gifts. '^ 

Thus  it  appears  that  Temperance  legislation 
is  not  wholly  a  modern  idea,  and  that  immoral- 
ity of  every  sort  was  long  ago  so  prevalent  as  to 
demand  legal  restraint.  Also,  that  regard  for 
the  rights  of  labor  and  for  all  that  are  oppressed 
existed  in  the  eighteenth  century,  as  well  as  in 
the  twentieth. 

Another  sermon  of  Mr.  Russel's  has  come 
down  to  us  which  is  peculiarly  appropriate  to 
the  present  time.  It  was  preached  at  the  re- 
quest of  Captain  John  Sumner  May  25,  1760, 
the  year  following  the  capture  of  Quebec  by  the 
English.  Its  subject  was  —  The  Duty  of  an 
ARMY  of  Professing  Christians,  when  going 
forth  against  their  Enemies:  And  of  the  BODY 


First  Church  af  Christ  47 

of  the  PEOPLE.  The  text  (Deut.  xxlii.  9.) 
"  When  the  Host  goeth  forth  against  thine 
Enemies,  then  keep  thee  from  every  wicked 
Thing,"  was  aptly  chosen. 

The  sermon  was  replete  with  Christian  ad- 
monition to  soldiers  and  it  warned  them  not  to 
be  puffed  up  with  "  last  Year's  Success."  There 
is  space  here  for  only  a  few  of  its  sagacious 
counsels : 

"  Do  not  forget  or  neglect  to  pray  to  God  in  \ 
secret:  Don't  neglect  the  publick  Prayers  and 
Preaching,  that  will  be  among  you  when  you 
may  attend  them.  Remember  the  Sabbath  as 
the  Lord's  Day,  and  Holy  Time:  and  don't 
needlessly,  or  unnecessarily,  prophane  it :  Let  no 
prophane  or  corrupt  Communication,  proceed 
out  of  your  Mouths.  Remember  you  are  listed 
under  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  Captain  of  your  Sal- 
vation: and  thereby  obliged  to  depart  from 
Iniquity  and  follow  him :  If  you  fall  in  with  your 
Lusts  and  Temptations,  disobey  Christ's  Orders 
and  depart  from  following  him;  he  will  look 
upon  you  as  deserters,  and  treat  you  accord- 
ingly." Here  was  plain  and  wholesome  instruc- 
tion for  Christians  in  any  situation,  especially 
for  those  away  from  the  privileges  and  the  re- 
straints of  home  life.      It  is  not  strange  that 


48  A  History  of  the 

Captain  Sumner,  Christian  soldier  that  he  was, 
with  many  others,  desired  the  publication  of  the 
discourse. 

William  Russel  died  June,  1761,  at  the  ripe 
age  of  seventy,  on  the  anniversary  of  his  ordina- 
tion, having  completed  exactly  forty-six  years 
of  service  here.  His  accomplished  wife  had 
passed  from  earth  in  1740.  They  had  nine 
children,  four  sons  and  five  daughters.  His 
oldest  daughter,  Mary,  married  Matthew  Tall- 
cott  of  MIddletown,  son  of  a  Governor  of  Con- 
necticut. His  oldest  son,  William,  was  edu- 
cated at  Yale,  and  was  a  Tutor  there  for  two 
years.  He  was  afterwards  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel  at  Windsor.  Noadiah,  the  third  son, 
was  also  educated  at  Yale,  and  became  a  min- 
ister in  Thompson,  Connecticut. 

Whitefield  called  Mr.  Russel  "  an  Israelite  in- 
deed." Mr.  Trumbull  says  "  He  was  a  gentle- 
man of  great  respectability  for  knowledge,  ex- 
perience, moderation,  and  for  pacific  measures, 
on  all  occasions."  His  epitaph  In  the  old  Riv-^ 
erside  Cemetery,  speaks  of  him  as  "  A  man  of 
God,  eminent  for  wisdom,  prudence  and  meek- 
ness." 


REV.   ENOCH   HUNINGTON.  13.   D. 


49 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Ministry  of  Enoch  Huntington 
1762-1809 

The  ministry  of  Enoch  Huntington,  the  long- 
est up  to  that  time  in  the  life  of  the  Church, 
began  in  the  January  subsequent  to  the  death  of 
Mr.  Russel.  It  extended  from  1762  to  1809, 
thus  covering  a  remarkable  period  in  the  history 
of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  an  unusual  one 
in  the  history  of  this  Church.  The  new  pastor 
was  a  man  of  conspicuous  ability,  and  his  long 
term  of  service  left  an  abiding  impress  upon 
the  Church  and  the  community.  Coming  here 
at  the  early  age  of  twenty-three,  he  gave  his 
entire  life  thereafter  to  the  work  upon  which 
he  then  entered. 

Enoch  Huntington  was  born  in  Scotland, 
Connecticut,  Dec.  15,  1739,  a  son  of  Nathaniel 
Huntington,  an  industrious  farmer.  One  of 
his  brothers  was  Governor  of  the  state  for  nine 
years.  President  of  the  Continental  Congress, 
and  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence.    The   Reverend  Ebenezer  Devotion,   of 

49 


50  A  History  of  the 

Windham,  seems  to  have  had  a  wholesome  in- 
fluence upon  the  Huntington  family,  lending  the 
children  books  to  aid  them  In  their  education. 
So  that  two  of  the  sons  besides  Enoch  were 
graduated  at  Yale,  the  latter  In  1759.  By  a 
unanimous  vote  of  the  Church  November  25, 
1761,  Mr.  Huntington  was  Invited  to  become 
Its  pastor.  Deacons  Jonathan  Allen,  William 
Rockwell,  and  Jabez  Hamlin  were  appointed  to 
convey  this  Invitation  to  the  young  man.  His 
affirmative  reply  was  dated  the  ninth  of  the  fol- 
lowing month,  the  original.  In  the  clear,  bold 
handwriting  of  the  author,  being  still  In  posses- 
sion of  the  Church. 

This  document  Is  worthy  to  be  recorded  here : 

''  To  the  first  Church  of  Christ  in  Middletowii  — 
Dearly  Beloved  in  the  Lord: 

Having  taken  into  serious  Consideration  your  Call  & 
Invitation  to  settle  in  the  Work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry 
among  you ;  after  proper  Consultation  &  Advice  there- 
on, I  now  signify  to  you  my  Concurrence  with  your 
Desire,  and  Willingness  to  devote  myself  to  the  sacred 
Business  of  a  Gospel  Minister,  &  to  the  Pastoral 
Charge  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  this  Place,  when  by 
the  Providence  of  God  I  shall  be  regularly  introduced 
thereto  —  And  beg  Leave  to  subscribe  myself 

Your  Cordial  Friend  &  most  Devoted  Servt 
Enoch  Huntington 
Middletown  Dec^.  9th,  1761." 


First  Church  of  Christ  5 1 


The  ordination  took  place  January  6,   1762, 
in  the  ungainly  edifice  on  High  Street.     It  was 
natural  that  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Devotion,   of 
Windham,  to  whom  the  candidate  was  so  much 
indebted,  should  be  the  preacher  on  the  occa- 
sion.    A  copy  of  his  sermon,  printed  in  New 
Haven  after  a  manner  sumptuous  for  the  time, 
is  in  the  archives  of  the  Church.      Its  subject 
was  —  Fortitude,  Love  and  a  sound  Judgment, 
very  needful   Qualifications    for   the    Christian 
Minister.     These  most  desirable  traits  seem  to 
have  been  possessed  in  a  good  degree  by  the  per- 
son  to   whom  they  were   thus  commended,   or 
his  pastorate  could  not  have  been  so  remarkable 
for  its  length  and  its  quality. 

The  nev/  minister  was  the  clerk  of  the 
Church,  as  was  the  custom  down  to  1868.  A 
record  made  by  him  June  10,  six  months  after 
his  ordination,  is  interesting:  —  ''Being  a  lec- 
ture preparatory  to  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  the  church  agreed  to  the  introduction  of 
Dr. ^  Watts  version  of  the  Psalms  in  our  sing- 
ing." This  was  a  step  of  progress  in  reference 
to  an  important  part  of  public  worship,  one  in 
which  the  pastor  seems  to  have  had  a  special 
mterest.  In  1764  Mr.  Huntington  married 
Miss  Mary  Gray,  of  Windham,  and  brought 


52  A  History  of  the 

her  to  the  parsonage,  which  was  a  commodious 
house  In  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  home  of 
President  Shankhn.  This  fact  gave  the  former 
name  of  Parsonage  Street  to  that  which  Is  now 
termed  College  Street. 

The  zeal  of  the  young  minister  concerning 
church  music  is  revealed  in  a  sermon  delivered 
by  him  Sept.  26,  1771,  "on  Occasion  of  a 
Public  Singing  Meeting."  Among  other  whole- 
some words  the  sermon  contains  these :  —  "  Re- 
ligious Singing  is  a  Duty  of  instituted  Worship, 
&  In  order  for  the  decent  and  edifying  Per- 
fonnance  of  it,  Persons  must  take  Pains  to  learn 
&  Improve  in  the  Art:  &  surely  our  Pains  can 
nohow  be  better  bestowed  than  learning  &  im- 
proving In  that  which  belongs  to  the  more 
immediate  Service  &  Worship  of  God:  besides 
Singing  In  itself  Is  a  very  manly,  ornamental  & 
useful  Accomplishment;  &  the  Time  spent  In 
learning  It,  as  Opportunity  offers  &  Duty  re- 
quires. Is  well  &  laudably  spent."  Such  being 
the  sentiments  and  teaching  of  the  pastor.  It  is 
not  surprising  that  the  singing  here  In  1771  was 
admired  by  so  distinguished  a  visitor  as  Presi- 
dent John  Adams.  He  said  of  It, —  "  I  heard 
the  finest  singing  that  I  ever  heard  In  my  life: 
the  front  and  side  galleries  were  crowded  with 


First  Church  of  Christ  53 

rows  of  lads  and  lasses,  who  performed  all  their 
parts  in  the  utmost  perfection  —  a  row  of 
women  all  standing  up  and  playing  their  parts 
with  perfect  skill  and  judgment,  added  a  sweet- 
ness and  sprightliness  to  the  whole,  which 
absolutely  charmed  me." 

On  the  13th  of  December,  1773,  twenty-one 
members  of  the  Church  "  all  belonging  to  West- 
field,  and  being  about  to  have  a  Pastor  ordained 
over  them,  and  to  form  into  church  state  among 
themselves  were  dismissed  from  this  church  & 
recommended  to  be  formed  into  a  church  state 
among  themselves."  The  Church  thus  founded 
is  now  called  the  Third  Church  in  Middletown, 
having  a  resident  membership  of  one  hundred 
and  fifteen.  It  was  really  the  sixth  Congre- 
gational Church  planted  within  the  limits  of  the 
original  Middletown. 

The  ministry  of  Enoch  Huntington  covered 
the  period  of  the  Revolution,  but  the  Church 
records  make  no  allusion  to  this  momentous 
event.  Not  a  few  members  of  the  Church  were 
in  the  Continental  Army,  several  ranking  as 
high  as  Colonel.  The  pastor  was  in  cordial 
sympathy  with  the  struggle  for  freedom,  as 
his  published  sentiments  abundantly  show. 
Like  many  other  clergymen  of  his  time  he  in- 


54  ^  History  of  the 

spired  his  people  with  a  genuine  patriotism 
which  led  them  to  offer  themselves  freely  for 
their  country's  service. 

He  had  been  with  the  people  during  all  the 
acts  of  aggression  on  the  part  of  England,  and 
had  done  much  toward  shaping  public  sentiment, 
thus  preparing  the  citizens  for  the  onset  of 
arms.  At  a  general  Fast  ordered  by  Congress 
and  kept  July  20,  1775,  Mr.  Huntington 
preached  an  eloquent  sermon^  in  which  he 
uttered  these  words:  "It  Is  now  a  day  of 
peculiar  trial,  and  every  good  man  and  lover  of 
his  country,  under  the  present  aspects  of  divine 
providence,  and  the  political  and  martial  move- 
ments that  have  taken  place,  must  feel  a  very 
sensible  degree  of  affecting  apprehension  and 
concern,  and  the  man  ought  to  be  pitied  for  his 
weakness,  or  shunned  for  his  wickedness, 
*  whose  bosom  beats  not  In  his  country's 
cause  '."  Sentiments  like  these  have  a  peculiar 
adaptation  to  the  colossal  European  war  of  the 
second  decade  of  the  twentieth  century.  With 
a  leader  so  able,  so  intelligent,  and  so  patriotic, 
the  Church  could  not  be  indifferent  to  the  con- 
flict already  opened  at  Lexington  and  Concord 
and  Bunker  Hill. 

After  the  passage  of  the  Boston   Port  Bill 


f/^ 


First  Church  of  Christ  55 

the  citizens  of  Middletown  assembled,  to  the 
number  of  more  than  five  hundred,  and  pro- 
tested against  its  Injustice,  pledging  themselves 
to  resist  It.  Matthew  Talcott  and  Titus  Hos- 
mer  of  this  Church  were  members  of  a  com- 
mittee of  three  appointed  at  that  time  to  collect 
intelligence  and  disseminate  It  among  the  people. 
/  /  Mr.  Talcott  was  the  son  of  Gov.  Joseph  Talcott 
At^^  of  ^Vethersfield.  He  was  a  Colonel  of  the 
militia  and  was  active  during  the  war,  often 
receiving  appointments  from  Gov.  Trumbull 
and  Gtn.  Washington. 

He  represented  the  town  fourteen  years  in 
the  General  Assembly  and  v/as  a  judge  in  the 
County  Court.  His  wife  was  Mary,  the  oldest 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  William  Russel,  the  third 
pastor  of  this  Church.  He  died  In  1802,  at  the 
ripe  age  of  89  years. 

Mr.  Hosmer  was  in  the  General  Assembly 
from  1773  to  1778,  was  speaker  of  the  Lower 
House  in  1777,  and  was  instrumental  in  secur- 
ing the  adoption  of  vigorous  measures  against 
Great  Britain.  In  1778  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Continental  Congress,  and  with  Roger  Sher- 
man, Samuel  Huntington,  Oliver  Wolcott  and 
Andrew  Adams,  he  signed  the  Articles  of  Con- 
federation   in    behalf    of    this    state.     Noah 


56  ./  History  of  the 

Webster  deemed  him  one  of  the  foremost  men 
this  commonwealth  ever  produced,  ranking  at 
the  side  of  Chief  Justice  OHver  Ellsworth.  He 
died  In  1780,  at  the  age  of  44  years,  In  the 
prime  of  his  noble  manhood. 

Just  how  many  of  his  flock  were  actually 
under  arms,  It  Is  not  possible  at  this  late  day  to 
determine.  But  as  this  was  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal towns  in  the  state  in  1776  and  the  years 
following,  we  may  be  sure  that  it  contributed 
its  full  measure  to  give  It  the  honorable  record 
which  it  held  during  the  Revolution. 

Directly  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  Cap- 
tain Return  Jonathan  Meigs  led  a  company  to 
the  environs  of  Boston.  Later  he  became  a 
Colonel,  also  a  Major  General  winning  honor- 
able renown  in  many  fields  of  service.  Captain, 
afterwards  Colonel  Comfort  Sage,  reached 
Boston  before  Meigs,  with  a  company  of  light 
horse.  Colonels  John  Sumner  and  Jonathan 
Johnson^  with  many  Captains,  were  on  the  roll 
of  this  venerable  Church.  Among  the  latter 
were  Giles  and  John  Meigs,  and  Jabez  Ham- 
lin. General  Samuel  Holden  Parsons,  a 
familiar  name  here  in  the  last  century,  planned 
the  capture  of  TIconderoga,  and  was  one  of  the 
chief  agents  in  its  accomplishment.     Nehemlah 


First  Church  of  Christ  57 

Hubbard,  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  of  the  town,  was  paymaster  to  a 
regiment  which  saw  service  near  Lake  Cham- 
plain.  In  this  connection  should  be  introduced 
the  name  of  Chauncey  Whittlesey,  who  in  1776 
was  on  a  committee  "  to  procure  and  purchase 
such  articles  of  refreshment  and  clothing  "  as 
the  Governor  and  Council  should  direct.  Also, 
that  of  Elijah  Hubbard,  who  In  1777  was  made 
"  Commissary  and  Superintendent  of  the  stores 
provided  by  the  state  for  the  Continental 
Troops,  "  and  was  more  than  thirty  times  elect- 
ed to  the  General  Assembly.  He  was  the  first 
President  of  the  Middletown  Bank,  founded  in 
1801. 

The  year  1791  was  marked  by  an  event  of 
deep  significance  to  the  Church  and  the  com- 
munity, the  death  of  Col.  Jabez  Hamlin.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  eminent  citizens  by  whom 
this  town  has  been  blessed.  A  Deacon  in  the 
Church  for  thirty  years,  he  was  one  of  its  most 
esteemed  and  influential  members.  So  high  was 
the  regard  that  his  fellow  citizens  cherished  for 
him,  they  sent  him  as  a  representative  to  the 
General  Assembly  forty-three  times^  and  he  was 
often  the  Speaker  of  the  Lower  House.  He 
was  Judge  of  Probate  from  the  formation  of 


58  A  History  of  the 

this  district  in  1752  till  1789,  and  was  Mayor 

of  the  city  from  its  incorporation  in  1784  until 

his  death  in  1791.     His  pastor  paid  him  a  noble 

tribute  on  the  Sunday  following  his  lamented 

death.     Among  other  eloquent  words  he  said, 

"  Long  will  the  name  of  Colonel  Hamlin  be  remem- 
bered and  mentioned  amongst  us,  as  the  most  worthy, 
dear  and  respectable  of  Names.  The  Father  of  our 
city,  society  and  Town  is  no  more.  By  his  removal 
from  service,  and  from  life,  civil  and  ecclesiastical  So- 
ciety have  lost  much  of  their  strength  and  glory.  A 
rare  character!  A  good  and  precious  name  indeed!  An 
example.  In  the  goodness  of  it,  deserv-Ing  universal  re- 
gard and  imitation!  And  If  regarded  and  imitated,  as 
it  ought  to  be,  would  change  the  whole  face  of  affairs 
in  this  wicked,  troublesome  world :  and  Instead  of  doing 
hurt,  dispose  mankind  to  do  good  to  one  another  all  the 
da5's  of  their  lives." 

In  1799  occurred  a  memorable  event  in  the 
life  of  the  Church  viz.  the  completion  of  its 
fourth  house  of  worship,  on  Main  Street.  It 
caused  sincere  rejoicing  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people  to  take  leave  of  the  unsightly,  badly 
situated  structure  near  the  head  of  Church 
Street,  and  to  enter  the  spacious,  and  for  its 
time,  elegant,  edifice  at  the  very  heart  of  the  city. 
At  its  dedication,  Oct.  2,  the  pastor  preached 
from  Psalm  132:8.  Near  the  close  of  his  dis- 
course he  spoke  as  follows:  "  Men  and  breth- 
ren, fathers  and  friends,  parents  and  children. 


lUST  CHU 


RCH,  DEDICATED  i799 


58 


First  Church  of  Christ  59 


our  eyes  this  day  see  and  our  ears  hear,  what 
many  of  our  fathers  and  brethren  have  desired 
to  see  and  hear,  but  were  not  permitted,  and 
what  we  have  a  long  time  desired  to  see  and 
hear.  What  we  have  so  long  and  so  ardently 
prayed  and  hoped  for,  is  now  present  in  our 
enjoyment.  Through  the  good  hand  of  our 
God  upon  us,  after  several  removals  of  the  place 
of  our  public  worship,  and  troubles  and  afflic- 
tions In  past  proceedings,  our  joyful  eyes  this 
day  behold  this  commodious  and  decent  edifice 
completed,  a  house  and  habitation  for  the  stated 
worship  and  service  of  our  Glorious  God  and 
Saviour.  The  aged  and  pious  fathers  of  this 
people,  yet  living,  feel  a  joy  on  the  present  occa- 
sion, hard  to  be  expressed,  which  will  solace  the 
decline  of  their  days  and  brighten  the  evening 
of  their  life." 

Then  follows  a  soul-stirring  appeal  to  all  to 
be  loyal  to  "  the  principles  and  practices,  which, 
supported  by  the  Scriptures,  have  been  trans- 
mitted to  them  from  their  pious  forefathers,  and 
which,  by  long  experience,  have  been  found  to 
promote  their  Peace  and  prosperity." 

That  autumnal  day,  manifestly,  was  one  of 
sincere  rejoicing.  But  not  many  years  there- 
after   a    cloud    darkened    the    horizon    of    the 


6o  A  History  of  the 

Church.  The  beloved  pastor,  who  for  forty- 
seven  years  had  Instructed  and  guided  and  com- 
forted this  people,  was  called  to  his  rest. 

Mr.  Huntington  was  Industrious,  scholarly, 
cultivated,  genial,  and  devout.  In  the  early 
part  of  his  ministry  his  voice  Is  said  to  have  been 
"  musical  "  and  "  well  modulated,"  his  manner 
"  easy  and  graceful."  In  his  latter  years  his 
excellent  voice  failed  him,  so  that  he  was  obliged 
to  whisper  his  sermons.  Yet,  such  was  the 
attachment  of  his  flock  to  their  shepherd,  that 
they  refused  to  deprive  themselves  of  his  ser- 
vices. His  was  one  of  those  Ideal  pastorates  of 
the  olden  time  whose  benediction  long  rested 
upon  the  town.  His  life  of  nearly  threescore 
years  and  ten,  after  his  preparation  for  the 
ministry,  was  entirely  given  to  this  Church. 
He  was  faithful  in  all  things,  even  keeping  the 
records  of  the  Church  with  scrupulous  care  and 
neatness.  He  welcomed  to  its  membership  360 
persons,  baptized  2,757  persons,  and  recorded 
nearly  1,700  deaths.  In  addition  to  his  minis- 
terial labors,  he  gave  his  skillful  Instruction  to 
many  young  men,  among  whom  was  Timothy 
Dwight,  afterwards  President  of  Yale  College. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the    College    for   twenty-eight   years.     At   one 


First  Church  of  Christ  6i 

time  he  was  desired  for  Its  presidency,  but  his 
health  would  not  allow  him  to  accept  so  re- 
sponsible a  position. 

Large  portraits  of  Mr.  Huntington  and  his 
estimable  wife  were  presented  to  the  Church  a 
few  years  since  by  Deacon  Albert  R.  Crittenden. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Ministries  of  Dan  Huntington  and 
Chauncey  Allen  Goodrich 

1809-1817 

The  long  and  efficient  ministry  of  Enoch 
Huntington  was  terminated  by  his  death,  June 
12,  1809.  On  Sept.  20,  of  the  same  year,  his 
successor,  the  Rev.  Dan  Huntington,  was  in- 
stalled. While  not  a  relative  of  the  former 
beloved  pastor,  the  name  which  he  bore  was  one 
dear  to  the  people.  This  fact  may  have  in- 
fluenced their  choice,  though  they  heard  him 
preach  for  *'  some  time,"  and  were  "  satisfied 
with  his  ministerial  qualifications."  The  spirit 
of  the  pastor-elect  appears  in  a  sentence  of  his 
reply  to  the  invitation  of  the  Church :  —  "  Feel- 
ing my  own  insufficiency.  Brethren,  I  ask  your 
prayers  for  me,  and  your  friendly  cooperation 
in  all  well-meant,  and  well-directed  endeavours 
to  build  up  the  interests  of  the  Redeemer's  King- 
dom among  you." 

The  Council  for  the  Installation  was  com- 
posed of  twelve  clergymen  and  eleven  laymen. 

63 


64  A  History  of  the 

Dr.  Cyprian  Strong,  of  Chatham,  was  the 
Moderator,  and  the  Rev.  Calvin  Chapin,  of 
Wethersfield,  the  Scribe.  The  examination  of 
the  candidate  must  have  been  quite  rigid,  since 
when  It,  following  other  formalities,  was  com- 
pleted, the  Council  adjourned  to  the  next  morn- 
ing for  the  remaining  exercises.  Dr.  Joseph 
Lyman,  of  Hatfield,  Mass.,  preached  the  ser- 
mon, and  the  Rev.  Elijah  Parsons,  of  East  Had- 
dam,  offered  the  installing  prayer.  The  pastor- 
ate of  Mr.  Huntington  continued  for  six  years, 
and  was  fruitful  in  several  respects. 

On  Jan.  13,  18 13,  action  of  importance  was 
taken  by  the  Church  in  regard  to  absent  and 
delinquent  members  as  follows : 

"  Voted,  that  we  will  endeavor  to  look  up  & 
reclaim  such  members  of  this  Church  as  have 
now  withdrawn  themselves  from  our  com- 
munion, &  that  Rev.  D.  Huntington,  Hon. 
Asher  Miller,  Esq.  Deacn  Matthew  T.  Russell 
&  Deacn  Thomas  Hubbard  be  a  Committee  for 
the  purpose."  Thus  It  appears  that  persons  un- 
true to  their  most  sacred  pledges  existed  In  the 
early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  as  well  as 
in  the  twentieth.  On  ¥th.  10,  of  the  same  year, 
the  above  Committee  ''  made  report  of  what 
they  had  done  —  which  was,  that  on  the  whole 


First  Church  of  Christ  65 

prospects  were  favourable  for  recovering 
several:  that  others  were  hesitating  as  to  their 
duty :  &  that  a  few  appeared  to  have  sunken  into 
error  &  immorality." 

April  16,  of  the  same  year,  the  Church  met 
at  the  Court  House,  and,  after  discussion,  voted 
"  That  it  is  expedient  to  Introduce  a  new  set  of 
Articles,  the  old  one,  In  our  view,  being  deficient 
in  several  Important  points  of  faith."  Directly 
after  this  action  a  Confession  and  Covenant 
were  adopted,  in  which  the  wisdom  and  skill  of 
the  accomplished  pastor  are  clearly  seen.  Vid. 
Appendix  B.  These  were  the  basis  on  which 
persons  were  admitted  to  the  Church  for  more 
than  half  a  century.  The  present  Form  of  Ad- 
mission, used  since  19 10,  embodies  the  substance 
of  the  foregoing  Covenant,  while  the  articles  of 
the  Church's  faith  remain  practically  the  same, 
though  expressed  in  simpler  language.  Gen- 
erous liberty  as  to  their  full  acceptance  and 
understanding  by  candidates  for  admission  is 
allowed. 

In  August,  1 8 13,  the  Church  took  action  of 
deep  significance.  It  was  voted  "  That  this 
Church  do  not  consider  those,  who  have  owned 
the  Baptismal  Covenant,  or  who  have  made  a 
profession    of   the    christian    religion,    without 


66  A  History  of  the 

coming  to  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
as  in  any  sense,  members  of  this  Church." 
Thus,  the  old  "  Half-Way  Covenant,"  concern- 
ing whose  value  there  has  been  much  difference 
of  opinion,  was  abandoned  here,  as  it  was, 
earlier  or  later,  by  all  churches  which  had 
adopted  it. 

May  12,  1 8 14,  Mr.  Huntington  preached  the 
"  Election  Sermon  "  in  Hartford,  for  which 
service  conspicuous  clergymen  were  wont  to  be 
chosen.  It  was  doubtless  his  "  splendid  popu- 
larity as  a  preacher  "  that  gave  him  this  honor. 
His  address  to  the  legislators  aptly  illustrates 
his  opinion's.  Some  of  its  sentences  run  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Men  and  brethren,  bear  with  me,  while  I  freely 
plead  before  j^ou,  the  cause  of  vital  godliness. 
I  am  always  ready  to  testify  my  regard  to  what  is 
commonly  called  morality.  It  is  entitled  to  commen- 
dation. It  has  its  reward.  But,  there  is  not  a  single 
consideration,  in  favour  of  morality,  as  a  qualification 
for  office,  which  is  not  as  much  more  in  favour  of 
undissembled  piety,  as  the  motives  for  action,  drawn 
from  eternity,  outweigh  those  of  time.  Indeed, 
nothing  but  piety  gives  proper  security  for  morality. 
Nothing  but  piety  in  rulers  gives  proper  security  for 
fidelity  to  the  interests  of  human  society;  much  less  to 
those  of  the  church." 

Mr.  Huntington  was  the  first  minister  dis- 
missed from  the  oversight  of  this  Church.     For 


First  Church  of  Christ  67 

nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  Its  pastors 
died  In  office.  It  Is  probable  that  change  In  his 
theological  views  was  the  main  reason  for  Mr. 
Huntington's  withdrawal.  He  had  received 
117  persons  to  the  fellowship  of  the  Church,  or 
19  for  each  year  of  his  labors. 

Dan  Huntington  was  born  in  Lebanon,  Conn., 
Oct.  II,  1774,  and  was  graduated  from  Yale 
College  In  1794,  before  he  had  reached  the  age 
of  twenty.  He  was  a  tutor  at  Williams  Col- 
lege two  years,  and  at  Yale  two  years.  He 
studied  theology  under  President  Dwight.  He 
was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  In  Litchfield,  Conn.,  in  1798,  when  he 
was  only  twenty- four.  Thence  he  came  to  Mld- 
dletown,  as  we  have  seen,  in  1809.  After  leav- 
ing this  city  In  18 16,  he  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  days  in  Hadley,  Mass.,  not  again  assum- 
ing the  duties  of  a  pastor.  He  died  Oct.  31, 
1864. 

Mr.  Huntington  was  an  excellent  scholar  and 
an  eloquent  preacher.  Several  of  his  sermons 
found  their  way  into  print,  from  one  of  which 
an  effective  quotation  has  already  been  made. 
He  was  a  man  of  amiable  disposition,  of  native 
good  sense,  and  of  rare  strength  of  Christian 
character.     He  w^as  remembered  with  warm  af- 


68  A  History  of  the 

fection  by  many  who  knew  him  here.  Not  a 
few  of  the  shining  virtues  of  his  son,  Fred  D. 
Huntington,  D.D.,  the  late  Bishop  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  seem  to  have 
been  derived  from  his  father. 

After  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Huntington 
*'  distressing  apprehensions  were  entertained  " 
relative  to  the  future  of  the  Church.  By  the 
good  providence  of  God,  however,  these  fears 
were  soon  allayed.  The  attention  of  the  people 
was  directed  toward  Mr.  Chauncey  Allen  Good- 
rich, whose  father,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Goodrich, 
was  a  popular  pastor  in  Berlin,  Conn.  He  con- 
sented to  preach  here,  and  so  completely  won 
the  hearts  of  all  who  heard  him  that  he  received 
a  unanimous  call  to  become  their  pastor.  So 
urgent  was  the  invitation  that  a  special  letter  of 
considerable  length  was  sent  to  the  "  Beloved 
Pastor  Elect,"  assuring  him  that  "  there  was  not 
a  solitary  vote  against  the  call,  nor  one  person 
who  felt  Indifferent  as  to  the  issue  of  our  appli- 
cation." After  the  statement  of  essential  facts 
the  letter  continues  thus: — "We  beg  you  to 
consider  the  danger  to  which  an  unfavourable 
decision  on  the  subject  of  our  request  would  sub- 
ject us.  An  extensive  field  of  usefulness  is  here 
open  to  you.     The  Lord  we  ti*ust  has  begun  a 


First  Church  of  Christ  69 

good  work  In  the  hearts  of  some,  and  hath  he 
not  much  people  in  this  place?  May  we  not 
hope  he  Is  about  to  build  up  our  Zion  and  that 
he  has  design'd  you  as  the  honored  instrument?" 
Such  a  call,  fortified  by  so  strong  an  appeal,  the 
young  candidate  could  not  resist.  After  pon- 
dering the  matter  for  a  month,  Mr.  Goodrich 
gave  an  affirmative  answer  to  the  Church  and 
Society.  Distrustful  of  his  age  and  qualifica- 
tions, he  said  to  them :  —  "I  feel,  however,  a 
consoling  assurance  that  if  all  my  time  and 
efforts  are  devoted  to  your  service,  you  will  ac- 
cept the  endeavour  for  the  performance." 

The  Council  for  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Good- 
rich met  at  the  house  of  Dea.  Joseph  Boardman 
July  23,  1 8 16,  being  composed  of  thirteen  min- 
isters and  twelve  laymen.  Among  the  former 
were  David  D.  Field,  of  Haddam,  and 
Nathaniel  W.  Taylor,  of  New  Haven. 

"  The  Council  proceeded  to  a  careful  exam- 
ination of  the  Pastor  Elect  as  to  his  acquaint- 
ance with  Christian  doctrines  and  his  ability  to 
defend  them :  his  views  of  practical  religion :  his 
motives  for  proposing  to  become  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel,  together  with  his  knowledge  of 
practical  and  experimental  religion  and  his 
assent  to  the  Constitution  by  which  Congrega- 


70  A  History  of  the 

tlonal  Churches  of  Connecticut  regulate  them- 
selves.'* This  was  no  slight  ordeal  for  the 
young  man,  yet  he  passed  it  to  the  satisfaction 
of  all.  But  the  '*  religious  solemnities  of  the 
occasion,"  naturally  enough,  did  not  take  place 
till  the  following  morning. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Church  Sept.  i6,  of  this 
year,  it  was  voted  "  To  request  the  Deacons  to 
examine  into  the  state  of  indigent  members  of 
this  church,  and  make  report  at  the  earliest  con- 
venient period."  Two  months  later  it  was  voted 
^'  That  the  Church  be  informed  on  the  next 
Communion  that  the  wants  of  the  poor  claim  a 
large  contribution."  These  votes  illustrate  the 
solicitude  which  this  Church  has  always  felt  in 
behalf  of  its  needy  members.  It  has  spent  many 
thousands  of  dollars  for  their  relief. 

The  records  show  that  the  new  pastor  was 
faithful  to  his  charge  during  the  year  and  a  half 
which  he  held  it.  In  this  brief  space,  inexperi- 
enced as  he  was,  he  united  and  consolidated  the 
Church,  while  he  received  thirty-two  persons  to 
its  fellowship.  His  pastorate  continued  till  De- 
cember, 1 8 17,  when,  much  to  the  regret  of  the 
entire  parish,  he  removed  to  New  Haven,  being 
called  to  the  service  of  his  Alma  Mater. 

Chauncey  Allen  Goodrich,  D.  D.,  was  born 


First  Church  of  Christ  71 

in  New  Haven,  October  23,  1790,  and  was 
graduated  at  Yale  College  In  18 10.  His  theo- 
logical studies  were  pursued  under  the  oversight 
of  President  Dwight.  After  his  happy  and 
fruitful  ministry  here,  he  was  Professor  of 
Rhetoric  in  Yale  College  from  18 17  to  1839: 
Professor  of  Pastoral  Theology  in  Yale  Semi- 
nary from  1839  to  i860.  He  died  February 
25,  i860,  full  of  years  and  honors,  deeply  la- 
mented by  all  who  were  familiar  with  his  ample 
scholastic  attainments  and  his  unfailing  loyalty 
to  high  ideals  of  life.  A  beautiful  window  is 
placed  in  the  Battell  Chapel  in  New  Haven  to 
perpetuate  his  memory. 


REV.  JOHN  R.  CRANE,  D.  D. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Ministries  of  John  Riley  Crane  and 
James  Burnett  Crane 

1818-1856 

In  the  early  months  of  1818  the  pulpit  of  the 
Church  was  supplied  by  various  preachers,  upon 
none  of  whom  could  the  people  unite  till  August. 
In  that  month,  ''  having  full  confidence  in  the 
ministerial  qualifications  of  Mr.  John  R.  Crane 
whom  we  have  heard  preach,  and  desirous  of 
being  under  his  care  and  oversight,"  the  Church 
invited  him  to  become  their  pastor.  The  Com- 
mittee appointed  to  convey  this  Invitation  to 
Mr.  Crane  in  a  personal  note  spoke  of  their 
*'  having  been  a  long  time  destitute  of  the  stated 
administration  of  the  word  &  ordinances  of 
God,"  and  urged  a  prompt  response  to  their 
call.  However,  In  the  Interregnum  of  seven 
months  a  troublesome  case  of  discipline  was 
acted  upon.  Also,  an  act  of  incorporation  was 
secured  for  the  Church,  enabling  it  to  hold 
"  Real  and  personal  Estate." 

73 


74  A  History  of  the 

The  first  call  extended  to  Mr.  Crane  in 
August,  after  he  had  preached  here  four  Sab- 
baths, was  declined^  as  it  was  by  no  means 
unanimous.  The  invitation  was  renewed  in 
September  and  accepted.  A  Council  was  called 
for  November  3d,  consisting  of  nine  clergymen 
and  ten  laymen.  Its  decision  was  unanimous 
to  proceed  with  the  ordination  on  November 
4th.  This  date  was  exactly  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  from  the  founding  of  the  Church. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Dr.  Chapin,  of 
Rocky  Hill,  preached  the  sermon,  and  the  late 
pastor,  Mr.  Goodrich,  gave  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship. 

It  was  about  the  time  of  the  settlement  of 
Mr.  Crane  that  a  Lecture  Room  on  Center 
Street  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Church. 
January  4,  18 19,  it  was  voted  "  That  Mr.  John 
Fisk  and  Samuel  Southmayd  be  added  to  the 
committee  with  Bro.  M.  T.  Russell  to  procure  a 
deed  of  the  Lecture  Room  and  a  lease  of  the 
Land  on  which  it  stands  agreeable  to  the  inten- 
tion of  the  subscribers  who  built  it."  This 
building  was  occupied  by  the  Church  until  185 1, 
when  land  was  leased  for  a  new  one  on  Broad 
Street. 

On  June  third  of  the  same  year  a  committee 


First  Church  of  Christ  75 

was  appointed  to  "  procure  the  printing  of  six 
hundred  copies  of  the  confession  of  faith  and 
covenant  of  this  church  for  the  use  of  the  mem- 
bers." A  month  later  the  Committee  reported 
that  eight  hundred  had  been  printed,  thus  mak- 
ing provision  for  expected  growth  in  member- 
ship. 

Two  interesting  votes  were  passed  by  the 
Church  Feb.  15,  1821 ;  first,  "  That  a  collection 
be  taken  upon  the  ensuing  Sabbath  evening  at 
the  Lecture  Room  In  aid  of  the  United  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  to  assist  in  fitting  out  a  Mis- 
sion family  to  the  Osage  Indians."  Second, 
''  That  the  Treasurer  of  the  church  do  procure 
a  box  and  place  it  at  the  door  of  the  Lecture 
Room  on  the  monthly  meetings  for  prayer,  to 
receive  the  contributions  of  those  who  attend, 
that  the  same  may  be  at  the  disposal  of  the 
church  for  missionary  objects."  Here  was  an 
illustration  of  the  spirit  which  the  Church  has 
always  manifested  toward  missions,  whether  at 
home  or  abroad.  It  has  never  been  content  to 
provide  for  Its  own  necessities  alone. 

At  a  meeting  April  i,  1825,  "The  moral 
character  of  adventuring  in  lotteries  was  dis- 
cussed. The  sense  of  the  Church  being  taken, 
it  was  decided  ist.,  That  adventuring  In  a  lot- 


76  A  History  of  the 

tery  authorized  by  the  laws  of  this  State  is  not 
a  proper  subject  of  church  discipline.  2nd., 
That  the  church  disapprove  of  the  practice  of 
adventuring  in  lotteries." 

Oct.  23,  of  the  same  year  "  It  was  moved  and 
seconded:  That  this  Church  approve  of  the 
Sabbath  School  now  kept  in  the  Lecture  Room 
of  this  Church,  and  that  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  said  school  the  intermission  between  the 
different  services  on  the  Lord's  day  during  the 
winter  be  of  the  same  length  as  during  the 
summer."  This  motion,  however,  was  post- 
poned for  further  consideration.  Doubtless 
the  hesitation  had  reference  to  the  intermission, 
not  to  any  question  as  to  the  value  of  the  school. 

Feb.  3,  1828,  it  was  voted  "  That  the  Church 
w^ill  meet  statedly  on  the  first  Monday  evening 
of  each  month  and  on  the  Tuesday  evening  fol- 
lowing the  third  Monday  of  each  month  for 
religious  conversation  and  prayer."  May  25, 
"  That  there  be  a  committee  of  twelve  chosen 
from  among  the  members  of  the  Church  who 
shall  by  two  and  two  visit  all  the  members  of 
this  Church  residing  in  this  town."  Aug.  24, 
a  letter  from  the  South  Church  in  this  city  was 
read,  ''  desiring  assistance  and  reinforcement  of 
their  number  by  several  efficient  members  from 


First  Church  of  Christ  77 

this  Church."  Sept.  7,  a  reply,  prepared  by  a 
special  committee,  was  adopted  by  the  Church. 
This  was  most  friendly  in  its  spirit,  as  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  show : 

*'  We  feel  a  sincere  and  cordial  desire  that  your 
church  may  be  built  up  and  that  you  may  enjoy  much 
peace  and  prosperity. 

'*  In  the  present  state  of  our  church  we  think  it  both 
Inexpedient  and  unnecessary  to  designate  any  of  our 
members  to  unite  themselves  to  your  church  and  In  our 
collective  capacity  as  a  church  to  express  any  w^Ish  on 
this  subject.  Nor  as  a  church  have  we  funds  to  give 
5^ou  any  pecuniary  aid." 

At  the  same  time  the  Church  expressed  its 
willingness  that  individuals  should  be  asked  for 
assistance,  and  affirmed  that  it  would  "  lay  no 
impediment  in  the  way  of  any  one  from  his 
taking  that  course  which  his  conscience  may 
dictate." 

In  March,  1831,  the  South  Church  invited 
this  to  unite  with  it  in  a  four  days'  meet- 
ing. After  conference  with  the  Committee  of 
the  South  Church  the  invitation  was  accepted, 
and  the  two  pastors  were  instructed  to  send  let- 
ters to  other  ministers  in  regard  to  the  meetings. 

On  the  last  Sabbath  of  1831,  it  being  Christ- 
mas Day,  in  compliance  with  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  General  Association  of  the  State,  the 


78  A  History  of  the 

pastor  preached  on  the  topic  of  the  Sabbath. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Church  In  the  afternoon, 
the  following  resolution  was  adopted:  *' That 
believing  all  attention  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week  to  worldly  business,  except  such  as  Is  re- 
quired by  works  of  mercy  or  In  promotion  of 
our  spiritual  good  and  that  of  others,  is  a  viola- 
tion of  the  divine  will  and  Injurious  to  the  social, 
civil  and  religious  Interest  of  man,  we  therefore 
agree  that  we  will  abstain  from  it  and  from  all 
worldly  conversation  and  amusement  and  will 
use  our  Influence  to  persuade  all  to  do  the  same 
both  in  our  own  families  and  In  the  community." 

No  doubt  such  a  feeling  and  purpose  on  the 
part  of  its  members  contributed  In  large  measure 
to  the  future  prosperity  of  the  Church. 

In  1833  the  pastor  and  deacons  were  In- 
structed to  prepare  and  print  a  catalogue  of 
members  since  the  beginning  of  the  ministry  of 
Mr.  Goodrich.  Of  this  list  at  least  sixty  were 
known  to  be  living  in  1870,  when  the  next 
catalogue  was  issued. 

In  January,  1834,  the  Church  agreed  to 
*'  unite  In  the  observance  of  the  fast  appointed 
and  recommended  by  various  Ecclesiastical 
bodies  for  the  conversion  of  the  world."  Here 
again  the  thoughts  of  this  people  reached  out 


First  Church  of  Christ  79 

far  beyond  themselves  and  their  own  com- 
munity. Two  months  later  It  was  voted  to  hold 
a  "  protracted  meeting,"  a  Committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  secure  preachers,  and  the  South 
Church  was  Invited  to  join  in  the  services. 

In  November,  1835,  the  Church  Psalmody 
was  Introduced  "  into  use  in  the  worship  of  God 
In  the  sanctuary  on  the  Lord's  day  with  a  view 
to  its  being  the  sole  book  used  for  the  purpose." 
This  hymnal  remained  In  use  till  1869,  when  the 
Book  of  Praise  was  adopted  In  its  place. 

But  our  limits  do  not  allow  us  to  give  further 
space  to  this  long  and  fruitful  pastorate,  which 
continued  till  the  death  of  Dr.  Crane,  August 
^7?  1^53-  Enough  has  been  said,  however,  to 
show  that  it  was  a  period  of  ample  results,  of 
abundant  accessions  to  the  spiritual  and  material 
forces  of  the  Church.  This  was  especially  true 
of  the  first  half  of  its  thirty-five  years'  duration. 
Dr.  Crane  welcomed  to  the  Church  six  huridred 
and  eighteen  persons,  or  an  average  of  seven- 
teen for  each  year  of  his  service.  Neverthe- 
less, barren  statistics  in  moral  and  spiritual 
realms  do  not  by  any  means  tell  the  whole 
truth.  The  seed  sown  in  the  generation  cov- 
ered by  this  loyal  ministry  bore  its  thirty,  its 
sixty  and  its  hundred  fold  long  after  the  diligent 


8o  A  History  of  the 

sower  had  gone  to  his  rich  reward.  The  suc- 
cessors of  this  faithful  husbandman  reaped  in 
fields  where  his  untiring  hand  had  scattered  the 
good  seed  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Nor  has 
the  wholesome  Influence  of  his  character  and 
teaching  yet  ceased  In  this  community. 

John  Riley  Crane,  D.D.,  was  born  In  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  April  i6,  1787,  and  was  graduated 
at  Princeton  College  In  1805.  He  was  an  ex- 
cellent scholar,  standing  at  the  head  of  his  class. 
He  commenced  the  study  of  law  and  pursued  It 
for  more  than  two  years.  Under  the  Influence 
of  the  renowned  Dr.  Edward  Dorr  Griffin  he 
became  a  Christian,  and  soon  after  began  theo- 
logical studies  at  the  then  young  Seminary  in 
Andover,  Mass.  On  leaving  this  Institution  he 
preached  for  a  time  in  Danbury,  Conn.  Here  a 
hemorrhage  of  the  lungs  obliged  him  to 
abandon  all  work.  A  second  hemorrhage  fol- 
lowed a  few  months  later.  Yet,  by  the  most 
rigid  care  of  himself  he  recovered  from  both 
these  attacks  and  was  able  to  preach  again  In 
18 16.  As  we  have  seen,  he  was  ordained  here 
November  4,  18 18,  or  about  one  hundred  years 
previous  to  the  writing  of  this  sketch. 

Dr.  Crane  was  strong  mentally  and  spiritu- 
ally.    As  a  preacher,   his  aim  was  clearly  to 


First  Church  of  Christ  8 1 

unfold  the  divine  word.  His  was  not  the  elo- 
quence of  style  nor  of  manner,  but  that  of  the 
thoughts  of  God  which  had  passed  through  his 
living  experience.  As  a  pastor,  he  was  In  a 
rare  degree  judicious,  acceptable,  and  effective. 
He  knew  what  to  say  and  what  not  to  say,  when 
to  speak  and  when  to  be  silent.  In  short,  pru- 
dence was  one  of  his  eminent  characteristics. 
He  was  tender,  true^  and  sympathetic.  Those 
to  whom  he  ministered  long  held  him  in  affec- 
tionate remembrance  for  his  wisdom  and  his 
fidelity. 

Dr.  Joel  Hawes,  who  preached  a  memorial 
sermon  here  on  the  beloved  and  lamented 
pastor,  among  other  sentences  of  warm  com- 
mendation, uttered  the  following:  —  "His 
style  was  clear,  simple  and  chaste,  often  en- 
livened by  beautiful  and  striking  turns  of 
thought,  and  his  whole  appearance  and  manner 
In  the  sacred  desk  were  serious  and  commanding, 
such  as  became  an  ambassador  of  Christ,  ad- 
dressing men  on  the  great  themes  of  salvation. 
He  aimed  to  do  good,  not  to  shine  In  the  pulpit : 
to  win  souls  to  Christ,  and  not  to  show  himself. 
In  a  word,  Christ  and  him  crucified  was  the 
great  theme  of  his  preaching:  the  spirit  and 
meaning  of  this  doctrine  ran  through  all  his 


82  A  History  of  the 

ministration,  and  gave  life  and  power  to  all 
his  pulpit  exhibitions.  By  his  ministerial 
brethren  he  was  regarded  wth  great  respect  and 
confidence,  and  the  more  so  the  more  they  knew 
him.  Free,  courteous,  extensively  read  and 
well  informed  on  all  the  great  subjects  of  the 
day,  communicating  and  confiding,  he  was 
always  peculiarly  welcome  at  the  meetings  of  his 
brethren;  and  was  an  interesting,  affable,  in- 
structive companion  to  all  who  sought  or  en- 
joyed his  society.  He  lived  long,  he  lived  use- 
fully, he  died,  though  suddenly,  yet  preparedly, 
and  has  entered,  we  doubt  not,  into  the  joy  of 
his  Lord." 

In  view  of  a  pastorate  so  long  and  so  accept- 
able as  that  of  Dr.  Crane,  it  would  not  have 
been  strange  had  the  pulpit  remained  vacant  for 
a  considerable  time.  But  this  was  not  the  case. 
After  a  vacancy  of  only  three  months,  Mr. 
James  B.  Crane  was  invited  to  fill  the  place  so 
long  honored  by  his  father.  He  accepted  the 
Invitation,  though  It  was  not  unanimous,  and  a 
Council  of  eleven  clergymen  and  nine  laymen 
met  here  January  lo,  1854,  to  act  upon  the  mat- 
ter of  his  ordination.  After  the  opening  of  its 
first  session  It  had  an  unusual  experience.  "A 
remonstrance  signed  by  members  of  said  Church 


First  Church  of  Christ  83 

and  Society  was  presented  to  the  Council,  repre- 
senting that  it  Is  inexpedient  that  Mr.  Crane 
should  be  settled  over  them."  Reasons  given 
for  this  remonstrance  were  considered  by  the 
body,  which  afterwards  voted  to  proceed  with 
the  business  for  which  it  was  summoned. 

This  was  the  second  instance  in  which  a  son 
followed  his  father  in  the  oversight  of  this 
Church,  and  the  third  In  which  the  pastor's 
name  was  repeated  in  his  successor. 

Mr.  Crane's  ministry  continued  but  two  years 
and  three  months.  Evidently  he  did  not  over- 
come the  opposition  which  was  manifested  at  the 
time  of  his  settlement.  The  Council  to  advise 
concerning  his  resignation  met  April  15,  1856, 
and  judged  that  It  was  "  expedient  "  that  the 
pastoral  relation  be  dissolved.  At  the  same 
time  it  affirmed  —  "  Nothing  has  appeared  to 
indicate  any  want  of  ability  or  of  fidelity  on  the 
part  of  the  Pastor,  and  we  cordially  commend 
him  to  the  Churches,  as  a  minister  of  Christ, 
studious,  sincere  and  faithful." 

James  Burnett  Crane  was  born  In  Middle- 
town  in  18 19.  He  was  graduated  at  Yale  Col- 
lege in  1838.  Like  his  father,  he  studied  law 
at  first,  but  subsequently  went  to  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary.     He  was  ordained  here 


84  A  History  of  the 

January  ii,  1854,  and  dismissed  April  15, 
1856,  the  reason  given  for  his  resignation  being 
ill  health.  From  1862  to  1865  he  was  a  chap- 
lain in  the  army.  He  died  at  Elizabeth,  New 
Jersey,  September  30,  1868. 


RKV.  JERK-MlAii  TAYLOR,  D.D. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Ministry  of  Jeremiah  Taylor 
1856-1868 

As  ever,  loyal  to  its  traditions,  the  Church 
did  not  allow  itself  to  remain  long  without  a 
pastor.  In  July,  1856,  it  was  voted,  "That 
this  Church  unite  with  the  Society  in  a  request  to 
the  Revd  Jeremiah  Taylor  to  preach  before 
them  for  one  or  more  Sabbaths  as  may  be  con- 
venient to  him,  with  a  view  to  their  calling  him 
to  take  the  Pastoral  charge  of  the  Church  and 
Society."  It  is  interesting  to  recall  that  Henry 
Carrington  was  the  clerk  of  this  meeting,  and 
that  Deacon  Selah  Goodrich  offered  prayer  at 
its  opening.  The  same  persons  officiated  at 
the  subsequent  meeting,  July  28,  1856,  when  a 
formal  call  was  extended  to  Mr.  Taylor.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  First  Ecclesiastical  Society  held 
the  same  day  Henry  Carrington,  John  H.  Sum- 
ner and  Abner  Newton  were  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee to  convey  the  call  of  the  Church  and 
Society  to  Mr.  Taylor.     Before  giving  a  final 

8s 


86  A  History  of  the 

answer  to  this  Invitation  Its  recipient  desired  to 
spend  a  little  time  here  for  further  acquaintance 
with  the  Church  and  people.  Accordingly,  he 
came  here  and  preached  again  on  the  tenth  of 
August.  But  his  affirmative  answer  to  the 
Church  and  Society  was  not  dated  till  the  2ist 
of  the  month.  Hence,  as  the  invitation  was  not 
a  hasty  one,  the  reply  to  It  was  not  made  with- 
out due  deliberation.  The  Committee  appointed 
to  arrange  for  the  installation  of  the  pastor-elect 
was  Evan  Davis,  Jonathan  E.  Barnes,  Henry  S. 
Ward,  Selah  Goodrich  and  Abner  Newton.  A 
Council  was  convened  on  the  first  of  October, 
which  voted  unanimously  to  proceed  with  the 
services  of  installation. 

The  sermon  on  the  occasion  was  preached  by 
the  Rev.  Elisha  L.  Cleaveland,  D.  D.,  pastor 
of  the  Third  Church  In  New  Haven.  The 
Right  Hand  of  Fellowship  was  given  by  the 
Rev.  John  L.  Dudley,  pastor  of  the  South 
Church  in  Middletown. 

For  somewhat  more  than  a  year  after  the 
settlement  of  Mr.  Taylor  Henry  Carrington 
acted  as  clerk  of  the  Church,  when  the  pastor 
was  chosen  to  that  office.  The  first  Church 
Committee  whose  appointment  Is  recorded  con- 
sisted of  Henry  S.  Ward,  Timothy  Boardman 


First  Church  of  Christ  87 

and  E.  G.  Hubbard,  together  with  the  pastor 
and  Deacons.  Mr.  Taylor  remained  the  clerk 
till  1868,  when  Henry  E.  Sawyer  took  the  posi- 
tion. 

In  the  early  years  of  Mr.  Taylor's  ministry 
the  number  of  dismissions  was  quite  large,  sev- 
eral members  going  to  the  South  Church,  and 
others  to  churches  outside  ot  Middletown.  But 
during  his  pastorate  of  twelve  years  he  received 
to  the  Church  one  hundred  and  sixty  one  per- 
sons, or  thirteen  for  each  year. 

This  ministry  covered  the  period  of  our  Civil 
War,  which  absorbed  the  minds  and  hearts  of 
the  people  beyond  all  precedent.  The  pastor 
was  In  hearty  sympathy  with  the  Government, 
and  very  positive  in  his  convictions,  not  hesitat- 
ing to  utter  them  whenever  there  seemed  to  be 
occasion.  Not  all  of  his  flock  shared  his  senti- 
ments nor  enjoyed  his  manner  of  expressing 
them.  The  friction  thus  created  was  not 
wholly  allayed  by  the  declaration  of  peace.  It 
doubtless  tended  to  the  shortening  of  the  pastor- 
ate which  might  otherwise  have  continued 
longer.  However,  the  Church  as  a  whole  was 
heartily  loyal  to  the  Union,  several  of  its  mem- 
bers being  in  the  field.  One  was  so  conspicuous, 
and  his  sacrifice  so  heavy  a  loss,  that  his  name 


88  A  History  of  the 

is  worthy  of  mention  here.  When  General 
Joseph  K.  F.  Mansfield  fell  at  Antietam,  the 
Church,  the  city,  the  town,  the  state,  the  nation 
put  on  sackcloth.  His  praises  were  on  every 
tongue.  Though  a  native  of  New  Haven,  he 
was  baptized  into  this  Church  April  9,  1806, 
and  later  became  a  most  valuable  member  of  it. 
His  official  duties  kept  him  away  from  Middle- 
town  a  large  part  of  the  time,  but  whenever  he 
was  here  he  attended  the  Sunday  and  week-day 
services  of  the  Church,  always  manifesting  a 
genuine  interest  in  its  prosperity.  This  Church 
contributed  not  a  little  to  the  welfare  of  the  na- 
tion in  his  long  life  of  eminent  service  rendered 
thereto.  Not  only  was  he  a  well-trained  and 
skillful  officer,  but  his  noble  character  was  a 
tower  of  strength  wherever  it  was  known.  For 
long  years  to  come,  as  it  now  is,  his  name  will 
be  a  watchword  of  integrity,  of  industry,  of 
philanthropy,  of  bravery,  of  loyalty  to  country 
and  to  God. 

Dr.  Taylor  was  clear  and  positive  in  his  con- 
victions of  truth  and  duty.  Trained  in  An- 
dover  and  Princeton  Seminaries  at  a  time  when 
great  stress  was  laid  upon  formal  Christian  doc- 
trine, he  held  these  with  unyielding  firmness. 
These  he  taught,  according  to  his  own  views  of 


First  Church  of  Christ  89 

them,  with  no  hesitation  or  compromise.  His 
doctrine  of  sacred  Scripture  was  framed  before 
modern  scholarship  had  modified  the  earlier 
opinions  relative  to  inspiration.  His  state- 
ments wevQ  too  rigid  to  be  accepted  by  all  minds, 
especially  by  the  younger  people  of  his  congre- 
gation. Some  of  these  felt  that  their  minister 
emphasized  Christian  thihking  more  forcibly 
than  Christian  acting.  While  not  lacking  in 
zeal,  there  were  some  persons,  particularly 
among  the  young,  who  deemed  that  he  had  not 
sufficient  tact  in  dealing  with  them.  Modern 
independence  and  latitude  of  thought  in  some 
instances  began  to  show  themselves.  Yet  Dr. 
Taylor  was  a  strong  preacher,  now  and  then 
rising  to  actual  eloquence.  Only  a  few  months 
after  his  settlement  he  preached  a  sermon  occa- 
sioned by  the  death  of  David  Plarrison,  M.D., 
on  The  Medical  Profession:  its  Position  and 
Claims.  This  discourse  so  highly  gratified  the 
Central  Medical  Association  that  Charles 
Woodward,  William  B.  Casey,  Elisha  B.  Nye, 
George  W.  Burke  and  M.  C.  Hazen,  repre- 
senting the  Association,  requested  its  publica- 
tion, speaking  of  it  as  ''  able,  impressive  and 
appropriate."  A  few  of  its  sentences  may 
serve  to  illustrate  the  style  of  its  author: 


90  A  History  of  the 

"  Our  glorious  Savior  early  evinced  his  mighty 
power  and  godhead,  and  opened  hearts  many  to  receive 
him,  as  he  went  from  place  to  place  healing  the  sick. 
He  did  not  break  the  bruised  reed,  nor  quench  the 
smoking  flax,  but  restored  life  and  health.  His  zeal  to 
do  good  to  the  bodies  of  men  was  only  second  to  his 
efforts  to  introduce  the  soul  of  the  lost  Into  the  way  of 
life  and  peace.  Imbuing  the  apostles  with  a  spirit 
like  his  own,  and  endowing  them  with  supernatural 
gifts  he  gave  them  the  command,  which  has  been 
suspended  from  heaven  visible  to  the  eyes  of  all  men, 
*  go  teach  all  nations.'  Heal  the  sick,  cure  diseases. 
True  to  the  injunction  they  went  forth  to  bless  and 
save.  Diseases  fled  at  their  approach.  Hearts  hard 
as  steel  melted  before  the  breath  of  their  love.  The 
word  had  power.  Heavenly  wisdom  thus  established 
the  great  truth,  which  meets  us  every  day,  to  save  the 
soul  of  the  poor  and  ignorant,  we  must  bless  him  to 
the  extent  of  our  power  in  his  temporal  wants  and 
necessities." 

These,  surely,  are  wholesome  sentiments,  ex- 
pressed in  vigorous  language. 

The  pastor's  resignation  was  presented  to  the 
Church  August  31,  1868,  near  the  close  of  its 
second  century.  It  was  at  once  accepted, 
though  not  by  a  unanimous  vote.  A  Council 
met  at  Westfield  on  the  twentieth  of  October, 
which,  after  confirming  the  action  of  the 
Church,  passed  the  following  resolution : 

"  That  we  greatly  regret  the  separation  of  Dr. 
Taylor   from   the   Church   to  which   he   has   so   long 


First  Church  of  Christ  91 


ministered,  that  we  entertain  a  high  regard  for  his 
Christian  and  ministerial  character,  and  commend  him 
to  the  churches  as  a  brother  beloved,  able  and  faithful 
in  the  service  of  the  Gospel,  and  we  pray  that  God 
may  crown  his  future  labors  with  abundant  blessing." 

During  his  ministry  here  Mr.  Taylor  was 
honored  by  Amherst  College,  his  Alma  Mater, 
with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  In  this 
action  the  College  revealed  Its  estimate  of  the 
man. 

Toward  the  close  of  his  pastorate  Deacon 
Henry  S.  Ward  presented  his  house  on  Court 
Street  to  the  Church  for  a  parsonage.  This  was 
greatly  enlarged  and  Improved,  not  being  ready 
for  use  till  1868.  It  was  doubtless  Deacon 
Ward's  attachment  to  the  pastor,  added  to  his 
love  for  the  Church,  which  led  to  this  generous 
gift,  as  well  as  to  the  Insertion  In  his  will  of  a 
legacy  of  $6,000,  toward  the  erection  of  a  new 
house  of  worship. 

Jeremiah  Taylor,  D.  D.  was  born  In  Hawley, 
Mass.,  June  11,  18 17,  and  vv^as  graduated  at 
Amherst  College  in  1843.  tie  studied 
theology  at  Andover  and  Princeton,  and  was  or- 
dained pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church 
in  Wenham,  Mass.,  October  27,  1847.  ^^^ 
cherished  a  warm  affection  for  this,  his  first 
Church.     In  an  address  delivered  at  Its  250th 


92  A  History  of  the 

anniversary,  In  1894,  he  made  these  happy  allu- 
sions: 

"  I  have  returned  to  my  home.  Here  I  was 
ordained  to  the  sacred  ministry  and  became  your 
pastor.  Here  I  brought  my  bride,  and  together  we 
entered  the  new  and  inviting  home  which  had  been 
prepared  especially  for  our  use.  Here  I  experienced 
my  first  parental  joys.  At  this  altar  my  firstborn  was 
baptized." 

His  pastorate  In  Middletown  extended  from 
November  i,  1856  to  October  20,  1868. 
Speaking  at  the  225th  anniversary^  of  this 
Church,  Dr.  Taylor  said,  among  other  cordial 
words,  '*  I  have  thought  while  I  was  lingering 
with  you,  if  there  Is  any  other  spot  where  I 
would  wish  to  go  to  end  this  earthly  life,  I 
would  come  back  to  old  Middletow^n  again. 
Oh,  how  I  love  its  skies.  Its  hills,  the  flowing 
stream.  I  love  more  the  dear  people.  I  dare 
say  before  heaven  and  this  congregation  that 
never  pastor  loved  his  people  better  than  I  loved 
those  God  gave  me  here." 

After  leaving  Middletown  Dr.  Taylor  served 
the  church  In  West  Klllingly,  Conn.,  and  an- 
other in  Elmwood,  Rhode  Island,  a  suburb  of 
Providence.  Also,  he  was  for  a  time  the  New 
England  Secretary  of  the  American  Tract  So- 
ciety, with  an  office  In  Boston.     His  last  years 


First  Church  of  Christ  93 

were  happily  spent  as  an  assistant  to  Dr. 
Thomas,  the  distinguished  pastor  of  the  Har- 
vard Congregational  Church  in  Brookline, 
Mass.  He  died  June  20,  1898,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-one  years. 


REV.  AZEL  W.  HAZEN,  D.  D. 


95 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Ministry  of  Azel  Washburn  Hazen 
1869-1916 

In  less  than  a  month  after  Dr.  Taylor's  resig- 
nation took  effect  Azel  Washburn  Hazen,  then 
a  graduate  student  at  the  Hartford  Theological 
Seminary,  was  invited  to  supply  the  pulpit  for 
a  single  Sunday.  He  was  not  at  liberty  to  do  so 
until  the  twenty-second  of  November.  Having 
preached  that  day,  he  was  asked  to  continue  to 
serve  the  Church  until  the  end  of  the  year.  He 
consented  to  do  this,  still  pursuing  his  work  in 
Hartford. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Church  December  31, 
1868,  it  was  voted  to  extend  an  invitation  to 
Mr.  Hazen  to  become  its  pastor.  This  invita- 
tion he  felt  that  he  must  decline,  in  view  of  plans 
for  further  study  before  assuming  the  care  of 
any  church.  Indeed,  he  wrote  a  letter  giving  a 
negative  answer  to  the  call.  But  upon  the 
urgent  solicitation  of  friends  he  destroyed  this 
letter  and  sent  one  of  acceptance  to  the  Church. 
The  Committee  appointed  to  inform  the  pastor- 

95 


g6  A  History  of  the 

elect  of  the  action  of  the  Church  was  "  Bro.  E. 
P.  Barrows,  Deacon  S.  Goodrich,  and  Bro.  O. 
V.  Coffin."  The  corresponding  Committee 
named  by  the  First  Ecclesiastical  Society  was 
*'  Wm.  C.  Bell,  D.  R.  Benham  and  U^nry  L. 
Mansfield."  The  call  was  dated  January  9, 
1869,  but  for  various  reasons  the  acceptance 
was  not  written  until  the  thirtieth  of  the  month. 

To  facilitate  the  work  of  the  new  pastor  when 
it  should  begin,  at  a  meeting  February  10,  1869, 
a  Committee,  consisting  of  H.  E.  Sawyer, 
Samuel  G.  Smith  and  E.  P.  Barrows,  was  ap- 
pointed to  prepare  Standing  Rules  for  the  adop- 
tion of  the  Church.  It  seems  that  previous  to 
this  action  no  such  rules  had  existed. 

The  Council  in  reference  to  the  ordination  of 
Mr.  Hazen  met  in  the  Lecture  Room  on  Broad 
Street  at  10  A.  M.,  March  10,  1869.  It  was 
composed  of  representatives  of  thirteen 
churches  and  Professor  William  Thompson,  D. 
D.,  of  the  Hartford  Seminary.  The  Mod- 
erator was  the  Rev.  L.  Perrin,  of  the  First 
Church,  New  Britain,  the  Scribe,  the  Rev.  L. 
H.  Hallock,  of  Berlin.  It  is  believed  that  Dr. 
Hallock  is  the  sole  member  of  this  Council  now 
living.  After  the  usual  examination  of  the  can- 
didate and  conference  relative  to  him,  it  was 


First  Church  of  Christ  97 

unanimously  voted  to  "  proceed  with  the  public 
exercises  of  Ordination  and  Installation  in  the 
P.  M.'^  These  took  place  in  the  church  on 
Main  Street  in  the  midst  of  a  drenching  rain. 
The  Rev.  A.  C.  Denison  offered  the  Invocation, 
the  Rev.  A.  T.  Waterman  read  the  Scriptures, 
Professor  E.  C.  Smyth,  D.D.,  of  Andover  Semi- 
nary, preached  the  sermon.  Professor  William 
Thompson,  D.D.,  offered  the  Ordaining  Prayer, 
the  Rev.  Austin  Hazen  gave  the  Charge  to 
the  pastor,  the  Rev.  John  P.  Taylor  the  Right 
Hand  of  Fellowship,  the  Rev.  C.  L.  Goodell, 
D.D.,  the  Charge  to  the  People,  and  the  Rev. 
H.  E.  Hart  offered  the  closing  Prayer. 

"They  are  all  gone  into  the  world  of  light! 

And  I  alone  sit  lingering  here: 
Their  very  memory  is  fair  and  bright, 

And  my  sad  thoughts  doth  clear." 

Mr.  Hazen  was  the  first  pastor  to  occupy  the 
parsonage  on  Court  Street,  living  in  that  till 
19 10,  when  it  was  taken  down  to  make  room 
for  another.  Having  married  Miss  Mary  But- 
ler Thompson,  daughter  of  Professor  William 
Thompson,  D.D.,  of  the  Hartford  Theological 
Seminary,  and  Mrs.  Eliza  Butler  Thompson, 
September  i,  1869,  ^^  brought  her  there  in  the 
autumn  of  that  year. 


98  A  History  of  the 

The  first  special  work  of  the  young  pastor 
was  looking  up  the  members  of  the  Church  and 
parish.  This  was  no  slight  task,  as  complete 
records  were  not  available.  When  it  was  ac- 
complished, it  appeared  that  the  Church  had 
225  members,  of  whom  sixteen  were  non-resi- 
dent. About  140  families  were  found  to  be- 
long to  the  parish.  The  Sunday  School  re- 
ported 175  members.  The  house  of  worship, 
having  been  occupied  for  seventy  years  with  no 
extensive  changes,  was  out  of  repair  and  far 
from  attractive.  The  South  Congregational 
Church  near  at  hand  had  recently  dedicated  a 
most  capacious  and  comely  edifice  for  its  use. 
Also  it  had  just  ordained  a  scholarly  young  man 
as  Its  pastor.  Hence  It  was  Imperative  that  the 
First  Church  should  erect  a  new  building  as 
soon  as  possible.  In  this  situation  the  "  people 
had  a  mind  to  work."  Money  was  pledged 
sufficient  to  warrant  the  beginning  of  the  enter- 
prise. After  many  delays  a  new  site  and  plans 
for  the  structure  were  agreed  upon,  so  that  the 
corner  stone  of  the  present  edifice  on  Court 
Street  was  laid  June  28,  1871.  After  this 
ampler  funds  had  to  be  secured,  and  various  ob- 
stacles to  be  overcome. 

The  last  services  in  the  house  on  Main  Street, 


First  Church  of  Christ  99 


which  had  been  the  home  of  the  Church  for 
seventy-three  years,  were  held  September  i, 
1872.  For  the  next  three  months  the  Church 
accepted  the  courteous  hospitality  of  the  South 
Church,  uniting  with  it  on  Sundays.  The  Lec- 
ture Room  on  Broad  Street  was  used  for  the 
last  time  November  13.  On  the  twentieth  of 
the  same  month  the  Chapel,  Parlors  and  Sunday 
School  Room  of  the  building  on  Court  Street 
were  opened,  after  which  time  services  were 
held  in  them.  The  finished  edifice  was  dedi- 
cated May  I,  1873,  the  sermon  being  preached 
by  President  Noah  Porter,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  of 
Yale  College.  In  the  evening  of  the  same  day 
congratulatory  addresses  were  made  by  the 
Reverends  B.  W.  Barrows,  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  J.  S.  Breckenridge,  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  J.  P.  Taylor,  of  the  South 
Church,  and  D.  M.  Seward,  D.D.,  of  New 
York. 

This  fifth  house  of  worship  occupied  by  the 
First  Church  is  135  feet  long,  and  80  feet  in 
width.  Its  audience  room  is  65  by  68  feet,  or 
nearly  square.  Its  Sunday  School  Room  is  71 
by  30  feet.  This  was  one  of  the  first  rooms 
expressly  designed  for  the  use  of  a  Sunday 
School  in  Connecticut.     The  entire  cost  of  the 


lOO  A  History  of  the 

house,  including  its  site,  the  organ,  and  the  fur- 
niture, was  slightly  less  than  $95,000.  With 
the  exception  of  a  legacy  of  $6,000,  this  sum 
was  mainly  raised  in  the  limits  of  the  parish,  and 
largely  in  amounts  not  exceeding  $1,000. 
Many  of  these  involved  considerable  sacrifice 
on  the  part  of  the  donors. 

The  possession  of  this  modern  and  commo- 
dious building,  with  its  rooms  for  various  uses, 
gave  a  decided  impetus  to  the  Church  and  all 
the  organizations  connected  with  it.  For  sev- 
eral years  the  growth  of  the  parish  was  quite 
rapid,  the  city  itself  having  received  a  fresh 
impulse  at  about  the  same  period.  In  that 
auspicious  year,  1873,  forty-one  persons  were 
added  to  the  Church,  twenty-four  of  them  on 
confession  of  their  faith  in  Christ.  The  fol- 
lowing year  the  accessions  vv^ere  twenty-six.  In 
1873  twenty-six  families  were  added  to  the 
parish,  in  the  next  year,  eighteen,  and  in  the 
iit^t,  thirty-five.  In  1873  the  Sunday  School 
reported  forty-five  more  members  than  in  the 
year  previous. 

In  1874  the  Church  received  from  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  S.  Dyer,  Mrs.  Jane  E.  Huntington, 
Mrs.  Emily  B.  Smith,  and  Miss  Emily  Tracy, 
the  gift  of  a  house  containing  six  tenements,  for 


DEDICATED  IN  I873 


100 


First  Church  of  Christ  loi 

the  use,  or  the  assistance,  of  needy  famlHes.  In 
the  same  year  a  Parish  Library  was  founded  by 
a  donation  of  $500  from  Mr.  George  W.  Guy. 

In  1875,  October  27  and  28,  the  American 
Missionary  Association  held  its  annual  meeting 
with  this  Church,  the  South  Church  sharing  in 
the  entertainment  of  the  body.  In  the  same 
year  nearly  six  thousand  papers  and  tracts  were 
distributed  throughout  the  parish.  This  was 
done  mainly  by  visitors,  whose  aim  was  to  call 
on  all  families  once  each  month.  This  visita- 
tion and  distribution  of  literature  was  continued 
for  several  years,  the  calls  being  made  long  after 
it  seemed  undesirable  to  circulate  the  printed 
matter. 

The  ninth  of  July,  1876,  was  observed  as 
Centennial  Sunday,  it  being  near  the  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States.  In  the 
morning  the  pastor  gave  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
history  of  the  Church  for  the  preceding  century. 
This  was  soon  published,  and  the  demand  for 
it  exceeded  the  supply.  The  review  of  two 
centuries  given  by  Dr.  Taylor  in  1868  not  hav- 
ing been  printed,  this  was  the  first  issue  of  any 
considerable  portion  of  the  Church's  history. 

During  this  year  the  records  of  the  Church 


102  A  History  of  the 

for  its  first  one  hundred  and  forty  years  were 
copied  in  one  large  and  substantial  volume. 
The  original  records  being  kept  in  small  and 
flimsy  volumes  had  become  much  worn,  so  that 
in  some  places  they  were  barely  legible.  These 
antique  books  are  now  carefully  preserved,  per- 
sons wishing  to  consult  the  earlier  records  being 
referred  to  the  copy.  This  transcript  has  been 
many  times  scanned,  so  that  it  bears  the  marks 
of  frequent  use.  Few  churches  whose  history 
reaches  back  to  the  second  generation  from  the 
landing  of  the  Pilgrims  have  recorded  data  as 
complete  as  this.  Hence  these  ancient  annals 
have  an  inestimable  value.  The  Church  must 
soon  possess  a  secure  safe  of  its  own  wherein 
they  can  be  deposited,  together  with  its  vener- 
able silver,  and  many  documents  relating  to  the 
story  of  its  two  and  a  half  centuries. 

The  year  1878  will  long  be  a  memorable  one 
for  this  Church  and  the  entire  community. 
Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  conducted  a  remark- 
able series  of  religious  meetings  in  Hartford  in 
the  early  months  of  the  year.  The  fame  of 
these  eminent  revivalists  drew  large  numbers 
from  the  surrounding  towns  to  hear  them. 
Among  these  were  many  from  Middletown  and 
all  parts  of  this  county.     Thus  the  time  seemed 


First  Church  of  Christ  103 

favorable    for  special   religious   services   here. 
The  two  Congregational  Churches,  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  and  the  Baptist  Churches,  to- 
gether with  Wesleyan  University,  united  in  prep- 
aration for  such  services.     They  were  fortunate 
in  securing  the  Rev.  George  F.  Pentecost  as  the 
preacher,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  C.  Steb- 
bins  to  lead  in  the  music.     The  meetings  began 
March  24  and  continued  till  April  25,  being 
held  every  day  except  Saturday.     A  noonday 
prayer  meeting  was  held  in  the  chapel  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  a  Bible  Reading  at  3  P.  M., 
and  a  service  with  a  sermon  at  7  130  P.  M.  in 
this  Church.     A  large  choir  of  mixed  voices 
assisted  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stebbins  in  making  the 
musical  element  of  the  services  most  attractive 
and  inspiring.     The  meetings  were  largely  at- 
tended, none  at  which  there  was  preaching  call- 
ing out  less  than  one  thousand  people.     Often 
the    audiences   numbered   twelve   hundred   and 
even  more,  while  on  Sunday  evenings  overflow 
meetings  were  held  in  other  places.     At  no  pre- 
vious period  in  the  history  of  this  town  did  so 
many  persons  listen  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  sermon  and  in  song  in  the  space  of  six 
weeks.     The  year  witnessed  unusual  accessions 
to  all  the  churches  uniting  in  the  services.   Dur- 


104  ^  History  of  the 

ing  the  year  eighty-six  members  were  added  to 
this  Church,  seventy-nine  of  whom  were  re- 
ceived after  the  close  of  these  special  meetings. 
At  a  Communion  Service  on  the  second  of  June 
fifty-nine  persons  were  admitted  to  membership, 
thirty-three  of  whom  were  heads  of  families. 
The  benediction  which  this  town  and  its  vicinity 
received  from  these  remarkable  services  will 
long  abide  here. 

From  June  1 1  to  November  21  the  pastor 
and  his  wife  were  absent,  enjoying  a  happy  vaca- 
tion in  Europe.  During  these  months  the  pul- 
pit was  supplied  by  the  Rev.  Oliver  E.  Daggett, 
D.D.,  recently  minister  at  the  Yale  College 
Church  in  New  Haven.  He  was  a  preacher  of 
unusual  grace  and  power,  a  man  of  fine  physique, 
as  well  as  of  rugged  character,  so  that  his  in- 
fluence was  wide  and  wholesome.  Dr.  Daggett 
was  for  many  years  one  of  the  leading  clergy- 
men in  Connecticut,  and  he  always  cherished 
pleasant  memories  of  his  stay  in  this  city. 

In  the  night  of  July  second  a  fire  started  in 
the  rear  of  the  church  building,  but  it  was  dis- 
covered and  extinguished,  after  causing  a  dam- 
age of  about  two  thousand  dollars.  While  the 
house  was  undergoing  repairs,  the  Church  ac- 
cepted  the   courteous   invitation   of   the    South 


First  Church  of  Christ  105 


Church  and  worshipped  there  for  six  weeks. 

On  the  eighth  of  August  Mr.  Edgar  F. 
Davis,  a  member  of  this  Church  since  1875,  was 
ordained  to  the  Christian  ministry  in  Perry, 
Maine. 

During  this  year,  also,  the  parsonage  was 
greatly  improved  by  the  enlargement  of  its  front 
entrance,  the  erection  of  a  new  porch  over  it, 
and  the  painting  of  its  exterior. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1879,  the  building  at 
Staddle  Hill,  now  known  as  Bethany  Chapel, 
was  dedicated.  Its  cost  in  money  was  $2,150, 
of  which  amount  this  Church  and  its  Sunday 
School  gave  $1,050.  The  Sunday  School  for 
which  it  was  built  was  organized  in  1868  by 
members  of  this  Church,  and  it  had  been  con- 
ducted, as  well  as  supported,  in  the  main,  by  the 
Church.  Hence,  though  others  had  an  interest 
in  the  work,  and  loyally  aided  it,  it  was,  and  is, 
considered  as  under  the  care  of  the  First 
Church.  The  increase  of  Protestant  families  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Chapel  has  not  been  as  large 
as  was  anticipated  when  the  building  was 
erected,  while  a  trolley  line  running  through  the 
district  has  made  it  quite  easy  for  those  living 
there  to  come  into  the  city.  Therefore  the 
Chapel  has  not  been  as  much  frequented  in  re- 


io6  A  History  of  the 

cent  years  as  formerly.  The  Sunday  evening 
services  with  preaching,  for  a  long  time  con- 
ducted by  the  assistants  of  the  pastor  of  the 
Church,  or  by  students  of  the  University,  have 
not  been  held  of  late.  Also,  the  removal  of 
helpful  families  and  Individuals  from  the  com- 
munity, and  the  building  of  a  Chapel  not  far 
away  by  another  Church,  have  lessened  the 
work  formerly  done  at  Bethany. 

On  the  twenty-sixth  of  September,  1881,  a 
memorable  service  was  held  In  this  Church,  oc- 
casioned by  the  death  of  James  Abram  Garfield, 
President  of  the  United  States.  Addresses 
were  made  by  Mayor  Silas  A.  Robinson,  Hon. 
D.  Ward  Northrop,  Professor  James  C.  Van 
Benschoten,  and  Hon.  Samuel  L.  Warner.  The 
high  esteem  In  which  the  President  was  held, 
and  the  fact  that  he  died  at  the  hands  of  an 
assassin,  served  to  throng  the  house  with 
genuine  mourners.  Those  present  at  these 
solemn  obsequies  will  not  soon  forget  the  pro- 
found Impression  made  by  them. 

The  Report  of  the  Church  for  1882  has  the 
following  Item,  which  Is  worthy  of  record  In 
this  place :  ''  The  attendance  at  the  Sabbath 
morning  services  was  larger  than  In  any  pre- 
vious year  since  annual  reports  were  published 


First  Church  of  Christ  107 

(or  since  1871.)  It  was  often  above  four  hun- 
dred, and  the  worst  Sabbath  In  the  year,  when 
many  churches  In  New  England  held  no  services, 
one  hundred  persons  were  present.'' 

In  1883,  responding  to  a  general  desire  that 
the  people  should  have  an  ampler  share  in  the 
"  Service  of  Song  In  the  House  of  the  Lord," 
Mr.  Waldo  S.  Pratt,  then  Instructor  In  Vocal 
Music  In  the  Hartford  Theological  Seminary, 
was  secured  to  give  public  lessons  In  singing. 
Beginning  in  January,  these  lessons  continued 
till  May,  there  being  thirteen  in  all.  They  were 
of  decided  value  to  those  who  attended  them, 
and  had  a  perceptible  Influence  on  the  singing  of 
the  congregation  at  the  Sunday  services. 
This  was  so  evident  and  so  wholesome,  that  Mr. 
Wesley  U.  Pearne,  the  organist,  was  engaged  to 
continue  them  for  some  months  of  the  next  year. 

A  year  earlier  than  Mr.  Pratt's  instruction 
Mr.  Arthur  Titcomb,  a  member  of  the  Church, 
and  a  student  In  Wesleyan  University,  organ- 
ized a  Sunday  School  Choir,  which  he  trained 
with  much  energy  and  skill.  The  results  of  his 
work  appeared  beyond  the  limits  of  the  School. 
After  Mr.  Titcomb  left  the  city,  Mr.  Wallace 
H.  Lee,  a  graduate  of  Williams  College  and  a 
teacher  in  the  High  School,  took  the  oversight 


io8  A  History  of  the 

of  this  Choir.  Further,  for  several  years  Mrs. 
George  Rand^  a  member  of  the  Church,  in- 
structed and  led  a  chorus  choir,  thereby  increas- 
ing the  number  of  those  who  aided  the  singing 
of  the  congregation.  At  times,  also,  other 
musical  instruments  besides  the  fine  organ  were 
used  in  public  worship.  Again,  there  has  often 
been  preparation  in  oratorios  for  special  occa- 
sions, like  Easter  and  Christmas,  in  which  many 
have  been  taught  lessons  of  priceless  value  to 
themselves,  as  well  as  to  others.  Thus  it  will 
appear  that,  though  the  Church  in  recent  times 
has  not  had  the  traditional  immense  choirs  of 
the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  it  has  not 
been  unmindful  of  the  importance  of  participa- 
tion by  the  people  in  the  music  of  the  Lord's 
house.  It  has  endeavored  in  numerous  w^ays  to 
solve  the  difficult  problem  of  singing  by  the 
mass  of  worshipers,  instead  of  by  a  few  skilled 
musicians  employed  to  entertain  them  or  to  sing 
in  their  place.  Doubtless  much  more  might 
have  been  accomplished  with  ampler  means  and 
with  more  ardent  zeal  in  this  direction. 

On  the  thirteenth  of  July,  1884,  a  Service  of 
Praise  was  held  in  commemoration  of  the  hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  city's  birth.  This 
Church  was  one  hundred  and  sixteen  years  old 


Fif'st  Church  of  Christ  109 

when  the  city  was  incorporated.  Col.  Jabez 
Hamlin  had  been  for  thirty  years  an  honored 
Deacon  in  her  communion  before  he  was  chosen 
the  first  Mayor  of  the  city.  He  was  continued 
in  office  till  1788,  when  he  resigned.  But  he 
seems  to  have  retained  the  dignity  of  the  posi- 
tion until  his  death  in  1791,  though  its  duties 
wxre  performed  by  another.  The  five  follow- 
ing Mayors  were  selected  from  the  roll  of  the 
goodly  fellowship  of  the  First  Church.  So, 
likewise,  were  six  of  the  first  Clerks,  and  all  of 
the  Treasurers,  as  late  as  1847.  This  vener- 
able Church  has  always  been  closely  related  to 
the  being  and  the  well-being  of  the  city,  as  will 
be  seen  more  clearly  later  on  in  this  narrative. 
In  the  year  1884,  and  for  some  time  there- 
after, the  Rev.  J.  Webster  Tuck,  a  member  of 
the  Church,  rendered  kindly  service  in  the 
parish  as  an  assistant  to  the  pastor.  In  the 
same  year  a  few  members  of  the  Church- 
founded  an  Education  Fund,  designed  to  aid 
young  people  in  the  pursuit  of  their  studies. 
This  was  used  as  a  loan  to  them,  without  inter- 
est, to  be  returned  after  their  graduation  from 
College.  The  original  amount  was  increased 
by  later  gifts  of  individuals,  and  by  contribu- 
tions from  the  Church. 


no  A  History  of  the 

In  1885  the  Church  received  $3,000  from  the 
estate  of  Mrs.  Samuel  D.  Hubbard,  long  a  use- 
ful member  of  It,  the  Income  of  which  was  to 
provide  seats  In  the  house  of  worship  for  such 
as  were  not  able  to  make  full  payment  for  them. 
Miss  Susan  C.  Clarke  added  $500  to  this  sum. 

In  this  year  and  for  some  time  thereafter  ser- 
vices for  Swedes  were  held  In  the  Chapel  and 
Sunday  School  Room.  These  were  conducted 
In  the  Swedish  language,  and  mainly  by  Mr. 
Carl  Carlson,  who  later  became  a  member  of 
this  Church,  and  was  ordained  as  the  first  pastor 
of  the  Swedish  Congregational  Church  of  Mld- 
dletown. 

In  the  same  year,  likewise,  the  house  of  wor- 
ship of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  having 
been  burned,  that  Church  was  invited  to  worship 
with  the  First  Church.  These  two  churches 
held  their  mid-week  and  Sunday  evening  ser- 
vices together  till  the  following  May.  After 
this,  the  pastor  of  the  First  Church  being 
granted  a  vacation  for  the  summer,  all  their 
services  were  united,  the  Rev.  William  V.  Kel- 
ley,  D.D.,  the  Methodist  pastor,  conducting 
them.  Also,  the  Commencement  exercises  of 
Wesleyan  University  were  held  In  the  First 
Church  this  year,  and  In  1886  as  well.  In  July 
of  the  latter  year  Mr.  George  H.  Cummlngs,  a 


First  Church  of  Christ  1 1 1 


recent  graduate  of  the  Hartford  Theological 
Seminary,  was  secured  as  an  assistant  to  the 
pastor.  He  continued  in  this  office  for  two 
years,  when  he  became  the  pastor  of  the  Church 
in  Thompson. 

In  November,  1887,  the  General  Conference 
of  the  Congregational  Churches  of  Connecticut 
met  with  the  First  Church,  Mr.  Jeremiah  M. 
Allen  of  Hartford  being  the  Moderator.  The 
Conference  had  met  here  in  1873,  Senator  La- 
fayette S.  Foster  of  Norwich  presiding.  It  met 
here  again  in  1917,  Ex-Governor  Frank  B. 
Weeks  presiding.  In  all  these  instances,  the 
South  Church,  the  Methodist,  and  the  Baptist 
Churches  cordially  assisted  in  the  entertainment 
of  the  delegates. 

In  March,  1888,  the  Book  of  Praise,  which 
had  been  in  use  for  nineteen  years,  was  ex- 
changed for  the  Laudes  Domini,  and  an 
abridged  edition  of  the  latter  was  placed  in  the 
Chapel.  Both  of  these  latter  proved  helpful  to 
the  worship  of  the  Church. 

It  was  during  the  unparalleled  "  blizzard  "  of 
this  year  that  the  venerable  Deacon  Goodrich 
passed  away,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two.  He  had 
been  an  officer  of  the  Church  since  1850,  though 
for  his  last  few  years  not  in  active  service.     He 


112  A  History  of  the 

was  a  constant  and  devout  attendant  upon  the 
services  of  the  Churchy  and  deeply  interested 
in  its  prosperity.  He  evinced  his  lifelong  zeal 
for  Home  and  Foreign  Missions  by  leaving  a 
legacy  to  each. 

In  May  of  this  year  Mr.  Cummings,  who  had 
been  the  pastor's  assistant  for  two  years,  was  or- 
dained pastor  of  the  Church  in  Thompson,  and 
Mr.  Thomas  M.  Hodgdon  was  engaged  in  his 
place.  He  rendered  most  acceptable  service  for 
one  year,  and  in  1891  was  ordained  pastor  of 
the  Church  in  West  Hartford,  where  he  still 
remains,  beloved  by  a  large  and  ever  increasing 
parish. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year  Mr,  Arthur  Tit- 
comb,  who  had  been  an  active  member  of  the 
Church  for  seven  years,  having  graduated  at  the 
Hartford  Seminary  in  the  previous  May,  was 
ordained  Pastor  of  the  Church  in  Gilbertville, 
Massachusetts.  It  was  probably  an  unprece- 
dented ocurrence  that  two  members  of  this 
Church  entered  upon  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel 
in  the  same  year.  Yet  the  number  of  clergy- 
men reared  by  the  Church  is  quite  large. 

On  the  thirtieth  of  April,  1889,  the  Cente- 
nary of  the  Inauguration  of  George  Washington 
as  the  first  President  of  the  United  States,  was 
celebrated  in  this  Church,  other  Churches  In  the 


First  Church  of  Christ  113 

city  joining  in  the  commemoration.  A  large 
choir  led  the  congregation  in  rendering  excellent 
music,  and  a  memorable  address  was  given  by 
Professor  Woodrow  Wilson,  LL.D.,  of  the 
Wesleyan  University,  and  then  a  member  of 
this  Church. 

In  December  of  this  year  the  Church  united 
with  others  in  a  series  of  meetings  conducted  by 
Mr.  Dwight  L.  Moody,  held  In  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Moody  preached  fif- 
teen times  in  five  days,  besides  holding  numerous 
meetings  for  inquirers.  He  was  assisted  by  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  George  C.  Stebbins,  whose  tender 
and  impressive  singing  revived  in  the  minds  of 
many  happy  memories  of  1878.  Ten  years 
later  Mr.  Moody  again  spoke  in  Middletown, 
one  of  the  last  addresses  he  ever  made  in  Con- 
necticut being  here. 

The  death  of  Mrs.  Wolcott  Huntington  in 
1890  was  an  irreparable  loss  to  the  Church. 
One  of  the  most  liberal  contributors  to  Its 
present  edifice,  her  zeal  for  the  welfare  of  the 
Church  never  flagged.  Her  unceasing  benef- 
icence was  shared  by  many  not  of  Its  fold,  as 
well  as  by  numerous  organizations  for  the  up- 
lift of  mankind.  In  her  will  she  did  not  forget 
the  First  Ecclesiastical  Society,  nor  some  other 


114  ^  History  of  the 

agencies  through  which  her  munificence  flowed 
while  living. 

On  entering  its  present  building  the  Church 
adopted  the  system  of  weekly  offerings  for 
benevolence.  At  first  these  were  placed  in 
small  boxes  in  each  pew.  But  in  1891  the  boxes 
were  removed  and  the  passing  of  alms  basins 
was  commenced.  In  this  year,  also,  very  choice 
linens  for  the  communion  table  were  presented 
to  the  Church  by  Mrs.  Horace  F.  Boardman. 
In  November  a  legacy  of  $5,000  was  received 
from  the  estate  of  the  Hon.  Henry  G.  Hubbard, 
not  a  member  of  the  parish.  This  generous 
bequest,  the  last  one  made  by  the  donor,  he 
left,  as  he  said,  "  to  the  Church  that  his  mother 
and  sister  had  loved."  This  gift  is  called  the 
*'  Henry  G.  Hubbard  Fund,"  and  its  income  is 
devoted  to  the  Christian  work  of  the  Church. 
Late  in  the  year  a  revised  edition  of  the  Manual 
of  the  Church  was  prepared,  containing  much 
valuable  information,  secured  and  arranged 
with  no  little  pains  and  labor. 

In  1892  the  sum  of  $5,000  was  received  from 
the  estate  of  Thomas  G.  Mather,  it  being  a  por- 
tion of  a  legacy  left  by  him  under  the  following 
section  of  his  will:  —  "  I  give  and  bequeath  to 
the  Church  of  the  First  Congregational  Society 


First  Church  of  Christ  1 1 5 

of  Middletown  $8,000,  to  be  well  invested  and 
remain  a  permanent  fund,  and  the  income 
thereof  only  to  be  expended  for  Church  Uses. 
Provided  that,  to  guard  from  neglect  and  dis- 
order the  burial  lots  No.  10  and  No.  35,  in 
Mortimer  Cemetery,  in  said  Middletown,  in 
one  of  which  my  father,  Thomas  Mather,  and 
most  of  his  family  are  buried,  and  in  the  other 
of  which  my  wife's  father  and  mother  are,  and 
my  wife  and  myself  expect  to  be  buried  —  this 
bequest  is  on  condition  that  said  Church  put  and 
maintain  the  said  burial  lots,  and  the  monu- 
ments, gravestones,  etc.,  in  good  and  becoming 
order  and  condition;  and  in  default  thereof,  I 
hereby  give  and  bequeath  the  said  $8,000  to 
the  American  Home  Missionary  Society." 

Though  not  uniting  with  the  Church  till  late 
in  his  life,  Mr.  Mather  cherished  a  warm 
interest  in  its  prosperity,  being  a  generous  con- 
tributor to  its  expenses  and  its  charities.  For 
some  years  he  was  the  chairman  of  the  Society's 
Committee,  and  he  aimed  to  have  the  finances 
of  the  Church  managed  on  sound  business  prin- 
ciples. Thus  far  the  conditions  of  the  above 
bequest  have  been  met,  not  only  with  fidelity, 
but  with  affection  for  the  memory  of  a  loyal 
friend  of  the  Church  and  an  estimable  citizen. 


1 1 6  A  History  of  the 

In  September,  1893,  Mr.  Harry  T.  Williams, 
a  graduate  of  the  Hartford  Seminary  in  the 
previous  May,  entered  upon  his  duties  as  assist- 
ant to  the  pastor.  For  a  time  he  was  a  member 
of  the  choir,  and  he  endeavored  to  awaken 
interest  in  singing  among  the  young  people. 
The  following  year  he  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  of  the  Gospel  by  a  Council  summoned 
by  the  Church.  In  the  interval  between  the 
departure  of  Mr.  Hodgdon  and  the  coming  of 
Mr.  Williams,  Mrs.  Samuel  G.  Smith  rendered 
effective  service  as  a  special  visitor  in  the  parish. 
This  was  true  of  other  years  when  the  pastor 
had  no  male  assistant.  Not  a  few  families  in 
the  parish  recall  her  sympathetic  attentions  as 
most  helpful  to  them. 

On  the  fifth  and  sixth  of  November,  1893, 
the  Church  celebrated  the  two  hundred  and 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  its  birth.  Sunday 
morning  there  was  special  music  and  an  his- 
torical address  by  the  pastor.  At  the  session  of 
the  Sunday  School  a  sketch  of  its  history, 
written  by  Mrs.  O.  Vincent  Coffin,  was  read  by 
Seward  V.  Coffin.  In  the  afternoon  a  Com- 
munion Service  was  held,  at  which  children  were 
baptized.  In  the  evening  addresses  were  made 
as  follows :    on  the  Rev.  Enoch  Huntington,  the 


First  Church  of  Christ  117 

fourth  pastor  of  the  Church,  by  Mr.  George 
Huntington  Hulbert:  on  the  First  Ecclesiastical 
Society,  by  the  Hon.  O.  Vincent  Coffin.  Also, 
congratulatory  addresses  by  the  Rev.  Dwight 
M.  Seward,  D.D.,  and  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Tay- 
lor, D.D.,  the  ninth  pastor  of  the  Church,  and 
the  only  living  ex-pastor.  In  the  afternoon  of 
Monday  cordial  greetings  were  extended  by  the 
Rev.  P.  M.  Snyder,  pastor  of  the  South  Church, 
the  Rev.  E.  Campion  Acheson,  Rector  of  Holy 
Trinity  Church,  the  Rev.  Henry  A.  Starks, 
D.D.,  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  the  Rev.  P.  F.  Jernegan,  pastor  of 
the  Baptist  Church.  Our  Daughters  were  rep- 
resented by  the  Rev.  H.  G.  Marshall,  pastor  of 
the  Church  in  Cromwell:  our  Older  Sisters,  by 
the  Rev.  H  .T.  Rose,  pastor  of  the  First  Church 
in  Northampton,  Mass. :  our  Younger  Sisters, 
by  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Cooper,  D.D.,  pastor  of  the 
South  Church  in  New  Britain:  and  the  Rev. 
President  B.  P.  Raymond,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  of 
Wesleyan  University,  spoke  concerning  The 
Church  and  Education.  Following  these  exer- 
cises there  was  a  Social  Reunion  and  interesting 
letters  were  read. 

The  entire  occasion  w^as  a  memorable  one, 
fuller  notes  of  w^hich  are  preserved  in  the 
archives  of  the  Church. 


Ii8  A  History  of  the 

In  1894  the  pastor  was  absent  from  the  first 
of  March  till  late  in  August,  spending  this  va- 
cation in  Egypt,  Palestine,  and  Europe.  Dur- 
ing his  absence  the  pulpit  was  most  acceptably 
supplied  by  Professors  Jacobus  and  Paton,  of 
the  Hartford  Seminary. 

On  the  sixth  of  November  of  this  year,  the 
Hon.  Owen  Vincent  Coffin,  a  member  of  this 
Church  since  1867,  and  for  many  years  the 
Superintendent  of  its  Sunday  School,  was  chosen 
Governor  of  the  Commonwealth.  It  was  not 
only  the  first  time  in  its  history  that  this  Church 
had  furnished  a  Chief  Magistrate  to  the  State, 
but  it  was  the  first  instance  in  which  one  had 
been  supplied  by  Middlesex  County. 

In  July,  1895,  Mr.  Williams  retired  from  his 
position  as  the  pastor's  assistant,  to  enter  upon 
work  in  the  West.  The  Church  was  fortunate 
in  securing  Mr.  Joseph  Beech,  a  student  in  the 
University,  to  teach  in  its  Sunday  School,  and 
to  take  the  oversight  of  Bethany  Chapel.  His 
work  was  most  effective,  the  Chapel  reaching  a 
high  degree  of  prosperity  under  his  zealous 
ministrations.  In  October  of  this  year  the 
Church  sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of 
Miss  Susan  C.  Clarke,  one  of  its  most  intelligent 
and  liberal  members.     Miss  Clarke  was  always 


First  Church  of  Christ  119 

ready  to  assist  the  Church  in  Its  work  at  home 
and  abroad.  It  was  a  fitting  recognition  of  her 
worth  that  her  brother  and  sister,  though  be- 
longing to  another  Communion,  gave  to  the 
Church  as  a  memorial  of  her  Its  elegant  baptis- 
mal font  of  white  marble,  its  communion  table, 
and  its  pulpit  furniture,  with  the  exception  of 
its  superb  reading  desk.  This  was  the  gift  of 
Miss  Jennie  M.  Clarke,  In  memory  of  her  aunt, 
Mrs.  Samuel  D.  Hubbard.  These  beautiful 
memorials,  on  which  no  expense  was  spared, 
changed  the  entire  aspect  of  the  audience  room 
of  the  Church. 

In  1896  the  Church  was  called  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  three  persons  who  had  rendered  it 
especial  service.  Miss  Fannie  A.  Russell  had 
long  been  prominent  In  the  activities  of  the 
Church,  cherishing  for  it  a  deep  affection.  As 
a  teacher  In  the  Sunday  School,  and  as  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Bee  Society  for  twenty-two  years, 
her  Influence  was  widely  felt.  In  accordance 
with  her  wish,  her  nephew,  Mr.  Richard  L.  de- 
Zeng,  after  her  lamented  death,  placed  In  the 
treasury  of  the  First  Ecclesiastical  Society  the 
equivalent  of  five  thousand  dollars,  as  an  endow- 
ment for  a  pew,  to  be  known  as  the  "  Fannie  A. 
Russell     Pew."     Mrs.     Elizabeth     S.     Dyer, 


I20  A  History  of  the 

though  a  member  of  a  Presbyterian  Church,  had 
been  for  ^^ears  a  regular  attendant  upon  the  ser- 
vices of  this  Church,  and  a  generous  supporter 
of  its  work.  She  was  also  the  beloved  leader 
of  a  large  Bible  Class,  to  which  she  gave  much 
time  and  labor.  A  section  of  her  Will  reads  as 
follows :  "  I  give  and  bequeath  to  the  Church 
of  the  First  Ecclesiastical  Society  of  Middle- 
town  the  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars,  the  in- 
come thereof  to  be  applied  to  the  preservation 
and  care  of  the  property  which  Mrs.  Hunting- 
ton, Mrs.  Stedman  and  myself  caused  to  be 
built,  and  toward  the  maintenance  of  the  Sunday 
School  of  said  Society,  in  such  proportion  as 
said  Society  may  deem  best." 

Mr.  Horace  F.  Boardman  had  been  a  mem- 
ber of  this  Church  since  1857.  For  a  short 
time  he  was  its  clerk  and  treasurer.  Later,  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Society's  Committee  and 
its  assistant  treasurer.  His  loyalty  to  the 
Church  v/as  most  genuine,  and  his  sudden  de- 
parture was  mourned  by  all  who  knew  his  many 
estimable  qualities. 

In  March,  1897,  Miss  Emily  Tracy  passed 
from  earth  at  the  ripe  age  of  ninety-three  years. 
She  had  been  a  member  of  the  Church  since 
1 82 1,   more   than   three-fourths   of   a   century, 


First  Church  of  Christ  121 

being  ^'  full  of  good  works  and  almsdeeds  which 
she  did."  As  a  teacher  of  the  Bible,  which  she 
revered  and  loved,  both  in  words  and  in  life,  as 
the  first  President  of  the  Woman's  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  prominent  in  other 
charitable  organizations,  Miss  Tracy  was  long 
a  conspicuous  figure  in  the  Church  and  in  the 
community.  A  brief  memorial  of  her  by  her 
pastor  was  published  in  a  pamphlet. 

In  March  and  April  a  series  of  special  Sun- 
day evening  addresses  was  given,  as  follows: 
Some  Positive  Results  of  Biblical  Criticism,  by 
the  Rev.  Henry  A.  Starks,  D.D. ;  The  Inspira- 
tion of  the  Bible,  by  the  Rev.  Wesley  W.  Smith; 
Modern  Phases  of  Thought  in  Christian  Evi- 
dences, by  Professor  William  North  Rice, 
LL.D. ;  China,  by  the  Rev.  James  H.  Roberts, 
and  New  Light  from  Palestine,  by  the  pastor. 

The  year  1898  was  marked  by  the  gift  to  the 
Church  of  its  baptismal  font  and  pulpit  fur- 
niture, to  which  reference  is  made  elsewhere. 
The  fine  pulpit  Bible,  with  its  exquisite  mark, 
was  presented  at  the  same  time  by  Miss 
Katharine  Mather  Mansfield,  in  memory  of  her 
mother,  Mrs.  Louisa  Mather  Mansfield,  the 
widow  of  Gen.  Joseph  K.  F.  Mansfield.  At 
the  same  time  the  Bee  Society  gave  to  the 
Church  its  useful  hymn  tablets. 


122  A  History  of  the 

In  July  of  the  year  1898  Ex-Governor  O. 
Vincent  Coffin  and  the  pastor  were  delegates 
from  the  Connecticut  Conference  of  Congrega- 
tional Churches  to  the  National  Council  at 
Portland,  Oregon.  Mr.  Coffin  was  chosen  the 
First  Assistant  Moderator  of  the  Council. 

On  Sunday  morning,  February  19,  1899,  Mr. 
Luther  D.  WIshard  addressed  the  congregation 
on  the  Forward  Movement  In  Missions.  At 
this  service  pledges  were  made  more  than  suf- 
ficient to  maintain  a  foreign  missionary  for  one 
year.  Soon  after,  the  Rev.  Herman  N. 
Barnum,  D.D.,  of  Harpoot,  Turkey,  was 
assigned  to  this  Church  as  Its  missionary.  He 
continued  In  this  capacity  for  ten  years,  until  his 
death. 

The  pastor  was  absent  from  May  16  to  Sep- 
tember II,  for  a  vacation  In  England  and  Scot- 
land. President  Raymond  and  Professor  Rice, 
of  the  University,  and  Professor  Jacobus,  of 
the  Hartford  Seminary,  were  the  main  preachers 
in  his  absence.  October  16  the  Rev.  John 
Brown,  D.D.,  of  Bedford,  England,  who  was  a 
guest  of  the  pastor,  addressed  a  large  audience 
in  the  Church  on  John  Bunyan.  For  many 
years  Dr.  Brown  had  made  the  life  of  Bunyan 
his  constant  study,  and  he  had  written  the  most 


First  Church  of  Christ  123 

complete  biography  of  this  brilliant  dreamer,  so 
that  his  address  was  an  important  event  in  the 
history  of  this  town.  December  13  the  hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  death  of  George 
Washington  w^as  commemorated  by  a  service  at 
which  the  pastor  read  a  eulogy  delivered  in 
Hanover,  N.  H.,  January  9,  1800. 

Members  of  this  Church  and  Society  took  an 
honorable  part  in  the  celebration  of  the  250th 
anniversary  of  the  settlement  of  Middletown,  in 
the  summer  of  1900.  Hon.  O.  Vincent  Coffin 
was  the  Chairman  of  the  General  Committee, 
the  pastor  that  of  the  Committee  on  Literary 
Exercises,  and  Mr.  Walter  B.  Hubbard  that  of 
the  Committee  on  a  Permanent  Memorial.  The 
Historical  Address  was  given  by  Professor 
John  FIske  of  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  a 
former  member  of  this  Church.  It  was  largely 
due  to  Mr.  Hubbard  that  the  superb  boulder, 
with  its  bronze  tablet,  fitly  Inscribed,  was  placed 
at  the  head  of  Main  Street,  on  the  site  occupied 
by  the  earliest  settlers.  In  November  and  De- 
cember of  this  year  a  religious  census  of  the 
town  was  taken  by  representatives  of  the  Con- 
necticut Bible  Society.  These  canvassers  re- 
ported Middletown  as  much  above  the  average 
of  towns  in  the  State  in  the  m.atter  of  attendance 
upon  public  worship. 


124  ^  History  of  the 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Church  in 
January,  1901,  it  was  voted  to  create  the  office 
of  Deaconess.  Mrs.  Samuel  G.  Smith  and 
Mrs.  Mary  A.  Bradley  were  chosen  to  fill  it 
for  the  ensuing  year.  Since  that  time  Deacon- 
esses have  been  elected  each  year,  and  they  have 
rendered  efficient  service. 

In  June,  1902,  the  State  Convention  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  was 
held  In  this  Church.  It  was  a  large  and  enthu- 
siastic gathering.  Several  meetings  of  the  Mid- 
dlesex County  Historical  Society  were  held  here, 
It  being  the  formative  period  of  the  Society. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  fiscal  year  of  the 
Society,  May  i,  1903,  a  radical  change  was 
made  in  the  music  for  public  worship.  The 
choir  was  discontinued,  and  Judge  Wesley  U. 
Pearne,  after  thirty  years  of  service  as  organist, 
resigned  the  position.  Mr.  Stanley  Ross 
Fisher,  of  Yale  University,  was  secured  as 
musical  director.  He  acted  as  precentor,  and 
sang  a  solo  each  Sunday  morning  and  evening. 
He  also  conducted  rehearsals  in  the  chapel  Sat- 
urday evenings  for  all  who  would  attend  them. 
*'  In  Excelsis  "  had  been  Introduced  as  the  hymn 
book  the  previous  April.  This  arrangement 
created  a  marked  Improvement  in  the  singing  of 


First  Church  of  Christ  125 


the  congregation.  It  was  continued  till  the 
autumn  of  1904,  when  Mr.  Fisher  resigned  on 
account  of  failure  in  health,  and  a  choir  was 
engaged  to  take  his  place. 

In  the  evening  of  June  30  the  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity held  a  service  in  this  Church,  commem- 
orating the  Bi-Centennial  of  the  birth  of  John 
Wesley.  The  Governor  of  the  State,  Hon. 
Abiram  Chamberlain,  presided  at  this  meeting 
and  made  a  brief  address.  President  Woodrow 
Wilson  of  Princeton  University  was  the  chief 
speaker.  The  array  of  dignitaries  in  the  house 
was  imposing.  In  addition  to  the  above.  Gov. 
Bates  of  Massachusetts,  Ex-Gov.  Coffin  of  Con- 
necticut, Secretary  Shaw  of  the  United  States 
Treasury,  the  Presidents  of  many  Colleges,  with 
Professors  representing  others,  various  other 
officers  of  Church  and  State,  helped  to  make  the 
immense  audience  one  of  the  most  notable  ever 
gathered  In  Middletown. 

The  year  1904  was  noteworthy  by  reason  of 
the  number  of  talented  speakers  who  honored 
the  Church  with  their  presence.  Col.  Thomas 
Wentworth  Higglnson  lectured  in  the  Sunday 
School  Room  on  People  I  Have  Met.  The 
Rev.  John  K.  Browne,  of  Harpoot,  Turkey, 
told  the  people  of  life  In  that  city,  the  home  of 


126  A  History  of  the 

Dr.  H.  N.  Barnum,  the  foreign  pastor  of  the 
Church.  Dr.  Edward  E.  Strong,  the  Editorial 
Secretary  of  the  American  Board,  told  the  story 
of  his  recent  visit  to  South  Africa.  Brigadier 
Lamb  gave  a  vivid  narrative  of  the  work  of 
the  Salvation  Army.  During  the  week  before 
Easter  addresses  were  made  by  Professors 
Beardslee,  Jacobus,  and  Livingston,  of  the 
Hartford  Seminary.  The  Rev.  James  W. 
Cooper,  D.D.,  Secretary  of  the  American  Mis- 
sionary Association,  spoke  In  Its  behalf.  Pro- 
fessor A.  Campbell  Armstrong,  Ph.D.,  of 
Wesleyan  University,  a  member  of  this  Church, 
read  an  instructive  paper  on  The  Enrichment 
of  Worship.  The  Rev.  George  F.  Pentecost, 
D.D.,  conducted  union  evangelistic  services  In 
this  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for 
two  weeks.  During  these  he  gave  an  illumi- 
nating address  here  on  The  Orient,  the  Anglo- 
Saxon,  and  Christianity.  Dr.  Newell  Dwight 
Hillis,  of  Plymouth  Church,  Brooklyn,  gave  a 
brilliant  lecture  in  the  Young  People's  Course, 
on  Oliver  Cromwell.  Dr.  George  F.  Herrick, 
of  Constantinople,  one  of  the  ablest  men  this 
country  has  sent  to  the  Orient,  pictured  most 
forcibly  mission  work  In  that  renowned  city. 
Thus  this  year  has  hardly  ever  been  surpassed, 


First  Church  of  Christ  127 

If  at  all,  In  the  variety  of  Instruction  and  stimu- 
lus given  to  the  people  of  this  parish. 

In  1906  three  prominent  members  of  the 
Church  were  removed  by  death,  viz.,  Walter 
B.  Ferguson,  Samuel  G.  Smith,  and  George  H. 
Hulbert.  Mr.  Ferguson  had  been  for  eighteen 
years  the  highly  esteemed  Superintendent  of  the 
City  Schools,  and  a  most  useful  citizen.  Mr. 
Smith  was  an  old  resident  of  MIddletown,  hav- 
ing been  a  loyal  member  of  the  Church  for 
seventy  years,  and  deeply  Interested  In  Its  wel- 
fare. Mr.  Hulbert  was  a  descendant  of  the 
Rev.  Enoch  Huntington,  so  long  the  honored 
pastor  of  the  Church.  He  had  been  active  In 
the  affairs  of  the  Church  and  Society,  as  well  as 
a  citizen  of  genuine  public  spirit. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year  the  audience  room 
of  the  house  of  worship  was  renovated,  together 
with  the  chapel  and.  parlors.  The  Bee  Society 
contributed  $2,000  of  the  $8,000  thus  expended. 
Mrs.  Horace  F.  Boardman  gave  new  glass  for 
the  windows,  and  the  ornamental  electric  light 
fixtures  were  presented  by  Walter  Hubbard, 
Esq.,  of  Merlden.  Mr.  Walter  B.  Hubbard, 
of  the  Society's  Committee,  exercised  a  constant 
and  an  intelligent  oversight  of  all  changes  and 
decorations.     With    the    exception    of    repairs 


128  A  History  of  the 

necessitated  by  the  fire  of  1878,  this  was  the  first 
renovation  which  the  fine  edifice  had  received 
since  its  completion  in   1873. 

In  January,  1907,  Deacon  Charles  A.  Board- 
man,  the  oldest  member  of  the  Church,  passed 
to  his  reward.  He  had  been  an  officer  in  the 
Church  for  thirty-six  years,  and  the  treasurer  of 
its  Sunday  School  for  forty  years.  Also,  he 
had  been  the  clerk  and  treasurer  of  the  First 
Ecclesiastical  Society  for  about  twenty-five 
years.  A  life-long  resident  of  Middletown, 
scrupulously  faithful  to  all  trusts  committed  to 
him,  eminent  for  integrity  and  beneficence,  his 
ninety-five  years  were  lived  with  honor  to  him- 
self and  with  blessing  to  the  community. 

In  June  of  this  year  Mr.  Arthur  H.  Hope,  a 
graduate  of  Union  Theological  Seminary,  was 
secured  as  an  assistant  to  the  pastor,  and  as  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School.  Mr. 
Hope  served  in  these  relations  for  two  years 
with  fidelity  and  success.  He  left  Middletown 
to  become  the  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  in  Madison,  Connecticut.  He  was  or- 
dained to  the  Christian  Ministry  in  January, 
1908,  Professor  Julius  A.  Bewer,  of  the  Union 
Seminary,  preaching  on  the  occasion. 

In  October,  1908,  the  Church  was  called  to 


First  Church  of  Christ  129 


mourn  the  death  of  Mr.  James  H.  Bunce.  Com- 
ing into  its  fellowship  in  the  prime  of  his  man- 
hood, he  had  been  for  thirty-five  years  a  promi- 
nent factor  in  its  maintenance  and  its  growth. 
For  thirty  years  he  was  an  influential  member 
of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Society,  and 
for  twenty  years  its  chairman.  His  sterling 
character,  his  unsparing  labors,  his  liberal  gifts, 
his  conspicuous  success  in  his  business  calling, 
left  an  impression  on  the  Church  and  the  town 
which  will  not  soon  be  effaced. 

In  November  Mr.  Frank  B.  Weeks,  a  mem- 
ber of  this  Church  since  1878,  was  elected  Lieut. 
Governor  of  the  Commonwealth.  After  the 
death  of  the  Governor  early  in  the  following 
year  Mr.  Weeks  filled  the  ofHce  the  remainder 
of  the  two  years'  term  with  credit  to  himself  and 
with  acceptance  to  the  people. 

At  the  Communion  Service  in  May,  1909,  in- 
dividual cups  were  first  used.  The  vote  to 
adopt  them,  taken  the  previous  March,  was 
nearly  unanimous.  The  cups  and  four  plates 
for  bread  were  presented  by  Mr.  Denison  W. 
Clarke,  in  memory  of  his  v/ife. 

In  June  Mr.  Charles  H.  Workman  succeeded 
Mr.  Hope  as  assistant  to  the  pastor  and  Super- 
intendent of  the  Sunday  School.     He  occupied 


130  A  History  of  the 

these  positions  for  two  years  with  unusual 
energy  and  fidelity.  For  several  years  there- 
after he  was  the  popular  Secretary  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of  Middle- 
town,  being  granted  a  leave  of  absence  from 
that  office  for  service  in  connection  with  the 
army. 

In  October  Mr.  Walter  E.  Clark,  a  member 
of  this  Church  since  1891,  and  a  graduate  of 
Wesleyan  University,  entered  upon  his  duties  as 
the  Governor  of  Alaska. 

In  December  the  Church  was  afflicted  by  the 
death  of  the  Hon.  Joslah  M.  Hubbard,  one  of 
Its  most  Intelligent  and  efficient  members.  As 
an  officer  In  the  Civil  War  he  was  courageous 
and  skillful.  Not  only  was  he  honored  In  Kan- 
sas, the  state  of  his  adoption,  with  positions  of 
trust,  but  later  In  his  native  town  and  state,  he 
was  appointed  to  responsible  offices,  whose 
duties  he  discharged  with  eminent  ability  and 
success. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  1909,  through 
the  generous  gifts  of  the  Sunday  School  and  of 
individuals,  the  Society  was  able  to  redecorate 
and  refurnish  the  Sunday  School  Room,  making 
it  more  attractive  and  useful  than  ever  before. 
This  commodious  hall  Is  not  only  most  service- 


First  Church  of  Christ  1 3 1 


able  to  the  Sunday  School,  but  it  is  a  rare  place 
for  lectures  and  other  entertainments. 

In  May,  19 10,  a  splendid  Historical  Tablet 
was  placed  in  the  vestibule  of  the  house  of  wor- 
ship, consisting  of  three  panels  of  antique  brass, 
encased  in  a  heavy  frame  of  elegantly  carved 
English  oak.  The  central  compartment  has  the 
date  of  the  settlement  of  the  town,  with  a  brief 
sketch  of  the  early  worship  here,  and  a  notice 
of  the  five  buildings  erected  by  the  Church. 
Underneath  is  the  inscription :  —  "To  com- 
memorate the  faithful  and  uninterrupted  wor- 
ship of  God  in  this  community  for  over  250 
years,  this  tablet  is  placed  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord,  19 10."  "  But  I  will  for  their  sakes  re- 
member the  covenant  of  their  ancestors:  I  am 
the  Lord.'^ 

On  the  left  panel  are  carved  the  names  of  the 
founders  of  the  Church,  on  the  right,  the  names 
of  the  ten  pastors,  with  the  dates  of  their  ser- 
vice. Below  all,  is  stated  the  fact  that  the  tab- 
let was  planned  by  Walter  Bulkley  Hubbard, 
and  presented  by  his  widow,  Katharine  Mans- 
field Hubbard,  to  his  abiding  memory. 

This  noble  memorial  is  a  beautiful  tribute  to 
Mr.  Hubbard,  who  was  for  many  years  a 
zealous  officer  of  the  Society,  as  was  his  father, 


132  A  History  of  the 

Mr.  J.  Warren  Hubbard,  a  long  time  before 
him. 

Two  members  of  the  Church  whom  death 
claimed  in  this  year  will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 
Miss  S.  Elizabeth  Kilbourn,  who  died  in  Sep- 
tember, had  been  a  life-long  resident  of  Middle- 
town,  and  warmly  enlisted  in  many  of  the 
activities  of  the  Church.  She  showed  her  at- 
tachment to  our  institutions  by  legacies  to  two 
of  them.  The  Ladies'  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety received  from  her  estate  $500.  Another 
of  her  bequests  was  made  as  follows:  "  I  give 
and  bequeath  to  the  First  Ecclesiastical  Society 
of  Middletown  the  sum  of  tv/o  thousand  dol- 
lars ($2,000),  to  be  held  by  said  Society  as  a 
perpetual  fund,  to  be  called  the  "  Mrs.  Jonathan 
Kilbourn  Fund,"  the  annual  income  only  to  be 
used  by  said  Society." 

Mrs.  Horace  F.  Boardman,  who  died  in  Oc- 
tober, was  abundant  in  labors  and  in  gifts  for 
the  Church.  The  sharers  of  her  munificence 
were  more  than  the  public  ever  knew.  Not 
only  was  she  one  of  the  two  donors  of  the  ad- 
mirable new  parsonage,  of  which  mention  is 
made  elsewhere,  but  a  clause  in  her  v/ill  reads 
thus:  — ''  I  give,  devise  and  bequeath  unto  the 
First  Ecclesiastical  Society  of  Middletown,  Con- 


First  Church  of  Christ  133 


nectlcut,  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars 
($5,000),  to  be  held  by  them  in  trust  forever, 
the  income  thereof  to  be  applied  annually  as 
payment  for  pew  No.  54  in  the  Church  edifice 
of  said  Society,  a  plate  to  be  placed  on  said 
pew,  and  marked  "  The  Horace  F.  Boardman 
Pews'*  the  same  to  be  known  as  the  Horace  F. 
Boardman  Pew  and  to  be  forever  used  as  a  free 
seat."  In  case  of  the  destruction  of  the  present 
building,  the  same  provision  is  to  apply  to  a  nev/ 
one. 

Some  years  before,  Mrs.  Boardman  had 
placed  in  the  Church  a  beautiful  window  of 
richly  colored  glass  of  exquisite  design,  as  a 
memorial  to  her  husband.  While  the  Hendley 
Memorial  structure  on  the  grounds  of  the  Mid- 
dlesex Hospital,  reared  after  her  death,  is  a 
monument  to  her  liberality. 

In  June,  191 1,  Mr.  Percy  C.  Ladd,  a 
graduate  of  Union  Seminary,  took  the  place  of 
Mr.  Workman,  as  the  pastor's  assistant  and  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School.  He  was 
ordained  here  in  October,  191 1,  President  Fran- 
cis Brov/n,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  of  Union  Seminary, 
preaching  on  the  occasion.  Mr.  Ladd  rendered 
fruitful  service  here  for  two  years,  and  later 
became  the  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in 
Moline,  Illinois. 


134  ^  History  of  the 

The  principal  event  of  the  year  was  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Memorial  Parsonage.  This 
spacious  house  was  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Horace  F. 
Boardman  and  Mrs.  James  H.  Bunce,  In 
memory  of  their  husbands,  both  of  whom  were 
staunch  supporters  of  the  Church  and  Society. 
The  former  parsonage  was  taken  down  In 
August,  19 lo,  and  the  new  one  was  completed 
In  June,  191 1.  Meanwhile  the  pastor's  family 
occupied  a  part  of  the  house  at  No.  238  High 
Street. 

The  new  dwelling  has  sixteen  finished  rooms, 
besides  two  bath-rooms,  an  attic  store-room,  and 
a  capacious  basement.  The  exterior  of  the 
building  Is  modelled  after  a  colonial  house  In 
Salem,  Massachusetts.  It  stands  near  the 
centre  of  the  plot  containing  it,  whereas  the  old 
dwelling  was  In  the  northwest  corner.  The 
edifice  is  much  admired,  as  an  ornament  to  Court 
Street,  and  as  a  fitting  memorial  to  worthy  men. 

In  19 1 2  the  Great  Reaper  cut  down  two  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  whose  usefulness  had  been 
exceptional,  —  Deacon  Lucius  R.  Hazen  and 
Mrs.  O.  Vincent  Coffin.  Mr.  Hazen  had  been 
in  the  Church  since  1871,  and  a  Deacon  since 
1877.  For  many  years  he  was  the  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday  School,  giving  it  time. 


First  Church  of  Christ  135 

labor,  and  money,  until  it  reached  a  high  state 
of  efficiency.  As  an  Intelligent  and  upright 
man  of  business,  he  had  the  confidence,  the 
esteem,  and  the  affection  of  the  entire  vicinity. 
His  too  early  translation  left  the  Church  and  the 
County  far  the  poorer. 

Mrs.  Coffin,  who  died  In  July,  had  been  In  the 
Church  since  1850,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
years  In  the  Plymouth  Church,  Brooklyn.  She 
was  especially  devoted  to  the  Sunday  School,  of 
which  she  was  for  many  years  an  Assistant 
Superintendent,  and  her  genial  manner  endeared 
her  to  all  connected  with  this  right  arm  of  the 
Church.  As  a  zealous  officer  In  the  Ladles' 
Home  Missionary  Society,  and  as  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  District  Nurse  Association, 
Mrs.  Coffin  wrought  a  good  work,  and  left 
many  happy  memories. 

The  election  of  Governor  Woodrow  Wilson 
of  New  Jersey  to  the  Presidency  of  the  United 
States  in  November  of  this  year  was  an  event 
of  deep  significance  to  this  Church.  Soon  after 
coming  to  MIddletown  as  a  Professor  in  Wes- 
leyan  University  In  1888,  he  united  with  the 
First  Church,  and  during  his  residence  of  two 
years  in  the  city  he  was  a  constant  attendant 
upon    its    services.     His    youngest    daughter, 


136  A  History  of  the 

Ellen  Randolph,  now  Mrs.  McAdoo,  was  born 
here  and  baptized  by  the  pastor.  He  retained 
his  connection  with  this  Church  till  1897,  when 
he  v/as  granted  a  letter  to  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Princeton,  New  Jersey. 

In  November,  19 14,  with  the  aid  of  a  fund 
raised  by  the  Sunday  School  during  many  years, 
the  first  house  west  of  the  Church  edifice  was 
purchased,  to  be  used  as  a  Parish  House.  The 
need  of  more  room  for  the  varied  departments 
of  the  Church's  work  had  long  been  felt.  While 
this  building,  formerly  a  dwelling  house,  was 
not  all  that  was  desired,  it  seemed  to  be  the  best 
available.  After  some  months,  through  the 
gifts  of  individuals  the  last  payment  on  the 
house  was  made,  it  was  renovated  and  equipped 
for  its  several  purposes.  Also,  a  fund  of 
$2,000  v\^as  presented  by  a  devoted  member  of 
the  Church  to  assist  in  the  maintenance  of  the 
house.  It  has  already  proved  most  serviceable 
along  many  lines  of  effort. 

In  September,  19 15,  Mr.  Douglas  Horton, 
a  graduate  of  the  Flartford  Seminary  the  pre- 
vious May,  began  work  as  Assistant  Pastor  of 
the  Church.  He  was  ordained  here  in  Decem- 
ber, President  Mackenzie  of  the  Hartford  Semi- 
nary being  the  preacher. 


First  Church  of  Christ  137 

In  April,  19 16,  the  pastor  resigned  the  office 
which  he  had  held  since  March,  1869.  In 
accordance  with  his  wish  the  resignation  was 
accepted  by  the  Church  and  Society,  he  being 
invited  to  become  the  pastor  emeritus.  This 
withdrawal  from  the  oversight  of  the  Church 
did  not  take  effect  until  September,  19 16.  Thus 
he  was  the  pastor  of  the  Church  forty-seven 
years  and  six  months,  his  being  the  longest 
pastorate  in  its  history  down  to  the  present  time. 

Azel  Washburn  Hazen,  son  of  the  Rev. 
Austin  and  Lucia  Washburn  Hazen,  was  born 
in  Berlin,  Vermont,  April  10,  1841.  He  was 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1863,  and 
received  thence  the  degree  of  M.  A.  in  1866: 
that  of  D.  D.  in  1888.  He  studied  theology 
at  Hartford  and  Andover  Seminaries,  graduat- 
ing from  the  latter  in  1868. 


REV.  DOUGLAS  HORTOX 


139 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  Beginning  of  the  Ministry  of 
Douglas  Horton 

1916-1918 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  First  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Society  April  25,  19 16,  the  Rev.  Douglas 
Horton  was  invited  to  become  the  acting  pastor 
of  the  Church  from  September  to  the  following 
May.  This  invitation  Mr.  Horton  accepted, 
and  he  so  ably  fulfilled  the  requirements  of  the 
position  as  to  cause  the  people  to  desire  that  he 
be  their  permanent  minister.  This  wish  of  the 
Church  and  the  Society  he  gratified  by  consent- 
ing to  assume  the  office.  He  was  installed  as 
pastor  at  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  on  the 
seventh  of  June,  19 17.  The  preacher  on  the 
occasion  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Parkes  Cadman, 
D.D.,  pastor  of  the  Central  Congregational 
Church,  Brooklyn,  New  York.  An  unusual 
and  an  attractive  feature  of  the  services  was  the 
fact  that  the  Baptist,  Methodist  Episcopal,  and 
the  Episcopal  clergymen  of  the  city  took  part  in 

them. 

139 


140  A  History  of  the 

Mr.  Horton  was  the  eleventh  minister  in- 
stalled as  pastor  of  the  Church  since  its  organi- 
zation in  1668.  The  average  duration  of  the 
ten  pastorates  preceding  his  was  about  twenty- 
four  years.  He  began  his  ministry  at  so  early 
an  age  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  he  may  not 
lower  this  remarkable  average.  He  entered 
upon  his  service  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  a 
vigorous  youth,  and  the  esteem  in  which  he  had 
been  held  in  his  period  of  labor  as  an  assistant 
and  as  an  acting  pastor,  rapidly  increased.  He 
shared  the  feelings  and  the  sports  of  the  young, 
winning  their  confidence  and  their  affection. 
While  those  who  were  older  believed  that  the 
prosperity  of  the  past  was  about  to  be  continued 
and  enlarged  under  his  zealous  ministrations. 
He  exhibited  a  genuine  interest  in  the  work  of 
other  Churches  and  Christian  institutions  in  the 
community,  and  won  the  high  regard  of  all 
persons  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

For  the  first  four  months  of  191 8  the  Bap- 
tist, Methodist  Episcopal,  and  the  Congrega- 
tional Churches  In  the  city,  for  the  sake  of  con- 
serving fuel,  held  united  services  on  Sunday 
mornings.  These  took  place  by  rotation  in  the 
different  houses  of  worship.  It  was  felt  that 
they  deepened  the  sentiment  of  Christian  broth- 


First  Church  of  Christ  141 

erhood  among  the  people.  The  two  Congre- 
gational Churches  still  worship  together,  an 
agreement  having  been  made  to  continue  the 
plan  for  a  number  of  months. 

In  April  of  this  year  the  Church  was  surprised 
and  grieved  by  the  resignation  of  its  pastor. 
The  European  War  which  Germany  had  in- 
augurated in  19 14  absorbed  the  attention  of 
America  to  an  unwonted  degree,  even  before 
our  own  country  was  forced  to  enter  into  it  for 
the  sake  of  its  own  honor  and  for  defending 
human  freedom  and  Christian  civilization.  But 
when  our  nation  was  compelled  by  repeated  in- 
sults in  our  intercourse  with  Germany  and  by 
ruthless  destruction  of  our  commerce  and  of 
human  lives,  to  declare  war  against  the  un- 
scrupulous offender,  the  people  were  aroused  as 
never  before  since  the  Civil  War.  Our  young 
men  enlisted  in  large  numbers  and  gigantic  prep- 
arations for  war  began  in  all  parts  of  the  land. 

The  young  pastor,  on  fire  with  patriotic  im- 
pulses as  he  was,  felt  that  he  must  have  a  share 
in  this  world  conflict.  But  the  people  here 
whose  hearts  he  had  won  and  among  whom  he 
had  wrought  with  tireless  energy  during  his 
brief  residence  in  Middletown,  were  unwilling 
that  the  ecclesiastical  tie  which  bound  him  to 


142  A  History  of  the 

them  should  be  so  soon  severed.  Hence  they 
declined  to  accept  his  resignation,  but  granted 
him  leave  of  absence  for  one  year  from  the  time 
when  he  should  leave  the  city.  His  work  here 
continued  till  the  first  of  July.  After  a  vacation 
he  was  summoned  to  Charlestown,  Mass.,  for 
training  in  reference  to  a  chaplaincy  in  the  navy, 
for  which  he  had  offered  himself  to  the  govern- 
ment som.e  weeks  earlier.  Meanwhile  the  Rev. 
William  H.  Hall,  recently  connected  with  the 
Syrian  Protestant  College  In  Beirut,  Syria,  had 
been  engaged  as  acting  pastor  for  one  year. 
He  and  his  family  are  now  (September,  19 18), 
occupying  the  parsonage,  and  Mr.  Hall  is  com- 
mending himself  as  a  "  workman  that  needeth 
not  to  be  ashamed."  In  accordance  with  a 
previous  arrangement  the  two  Congregational 
Churches  in  the  city  are  worshipping  together, 
the  services  alternating  between  their  respective 
houses  of  worship.  Mr.  Hall  and  the  Rev. 
Frederick  W.  Greene,  pastor  of  the  South 
Church,  conduct  both  the  Sunday  and  the  mid- 
week services.  Thus  the  relation  between  the 
two  Churches  is  more  intimate  than  at  any  pre- 
vious period  of  their  history. 

So   runs  the   story  of  the  First   Church  of 
Christ,  briefly  and  imperfectly  told,  during  Its 


First  Church  of  Christ  143 

quarter  millennium.  Much  more  might  be  re- 
corded, hardly  less  Interesting  than  the  forego- 
ing narrative.  But  It  has  been  the  aim  of  the 
writer  to  select  and  set  down  prominent  facts 
which  may  convey  a  correct  Idea  of  the  life  of 
the  Church  during  Its  extended  and  luminous 
history.  This  plan  has  seemed  wiser  than  to 
fill  more  pages  v/Ith  matters  of  less  significance. 
The  literature  of  the  present  time  Is  so  abun- 
dant, and  not  a  little  of  It  so  valuable,  that  there 
Is  scant  room  for  large  volumes  having  hardly 
more  than  a  local  purport.  People  wish  to 
acquire  Information  quickly,  and  only  such  as 
has  permanent  worth. 

The  First  Ecclesiastical  Society  has  a  record 
running  alongside  that  of  the  Church  for  almost 
the  entire  existence  of  the  latter.  It  has  con- 
ducted the  business  affairs  of  the  Church  with 
exceptional  wisdom  and  fidelity.  Yet  Its  career 
is  so  closely  Intertwined  with  that  of  the  Church 
that  the  history  of  the  one  practically  covers 
that  of  the  other.  The  Church  could  not  have 
been  the  honorable  Institution  It  has  been  by 
universal  consent,  had  It  not  received  the  un- 
failing and  sagacious  support  of  the  Society. 
However,  so  Identical  are  the  constituencies,  and 
so  similar  the  aims,  of  the  two  bodies,  that  the 


144  A  History  of  the 

problem  of  their  union  is  worthy  of  thoughtful 
consideration.  This  has  been  solved  by  their 
consolidation,  in  the  case  of  many  of  our 
Churches. 

Further,  the  life  of  the  Sunday  School  for 
the  century  since  it  began  its  beneficent  work 
has  been  closely  related  to  that  of  the  Church. 
Also,  the  various  other  organizations  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  Church,  drawing  their  life 
from  it,  have  contributed  largely  to  its  pros- 
perity and  influence.  Yet  a  detailed  account 
of  these  numerous  societies  does  not  fall  within 
the  scope  of  the  present  volume.  Brief  his- 
tories of  many  of  these  have  been  compiled  on 
differing  occasions,  which  may  be  found  in  the 
archives  of  the  Church. 

The  Church  has  had  three  thousand  three 
hundred  and  fifty-four  members,  if  its  early 
records  are  accurate,  its  present  number  being 
six  hundred  and  fifteen.  At  least,  fifty  of  these 
are  no  longer  residents  of  Middletown.  It  is 
worthy  of  special  note  here,  as  appears  on  many 
of  the  foregoing  pages,  that  not  a  few  persons 
on  the  roll  of  this  Church  have  been  influential 
in  the  community.  The  first  six  Mayors  of  the 
city,  with  one  exception,  were  from  its  fellow- 
ship, as  well  as  many  later  ones.     Six  of  the  first 


First  Church  of  Christ  145 

nine  city  clerks,  and  all  its  treasurers,  down  to 
1847,  were  members  of  this  Church.  Two 
thirds  of  the  town  clerks  have  belonged  to  its 
goodly  company,  and  a  decided  majority  of  the 
representatives  in  the  legislature  of  the  Com- 
monwealth. It  has  given  judges  to  the  County 
and  the  State.  The  national  Congress  has  not 
been  without  representatives  from  its  ranks,  and 
the  Cabinet  of  the  President  has  been  honored 
by  the  presence  of  one. 

Two  present  members  have  been  Governors 
of  Connecticut,  and  one  the  Governor  of  Alaska. 
A  former  member  is  now  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  holding  the  office  for  the  second 
term.  Not  less  than  fifteen  have  been,  or  now 
are,  connected  with  the  Faculty  of  Wesleyan 
University,  while  several  have  been  on  its  Board 
of  Trustees.  The  number  who  have  been 
graduates  of  Colleges  rises  above  two  hundred 
in  the  last  half  century,  while  it  was  not  insig- 
nificant in  the  centuries  preceding.  The  early 
pastors  of  the  Church,  trained  as  they  were,  in 
the  foremost  institutions  of  the  country,  always 
fostered  liberal  education.  Some  of  them,  as 
we  have  seen,  instructed  youth  in  their  own 
homes,  as  a  preparation  for  higher  training.  A 
considerable  number  in  the  Church  have  been 


146  A  History  of  the 

clerg}^men,  physicians,  attorne^^s,  judges:  sev- 
eral, Superintendents  of  our  public  schools, 
many,  teachers  therein  and  elsev/here,  while 
others  have  taught  In  private  schools  of  repute. 
The  Church  has  furnished  pastors  of  other 
churches,  far  and  near,  has  sent  missionaries  to 
the  frontiers  of  the  land,  as  well  as  to  foreign 
countries,  has  supplied  professors  to  many  Col- 
leges, and  presidents  to  more  than  one.  Several, 
nurtured  under  its  fostering  care,  have  found 
their  way  Into  the  National  Congress  from  other 
states.  A  child  of  this  Church  became  the 
Chief  Justice  and  Governor  of  Ohio. 

Those  w^ho  have  attained  honorable  rank  as 
men  of  business  and  manufacturers  and  culti- 
vators of  the  soil  have  been  numerous. 

Nevertheless,  these  exceptional  members,  re- 
markable as  Is  their  number  and  their  character, 
have  not  been  the  chief  factors  in  the  life  of  this 
venerable  Church.  The  principal  cause  of  its 
abounding  prosperity  in  the  years  and  the  cen- 
turies of  Its  existence  has  been  the  stalwart 
fidelity  of  its  rank  and  file  in  life,  in  labor,  in 
beneficence,  and  In  prayer.  It  is  most  inspiring 
to  reflect  upon  the  length  of  time  this  revered 
organization  has  sent  forth  its  gracious  Influence 
into  the  region  round  about,  as  well  as  Into  re- 


First  Church  of  Christ  147 

mote  quarters  of  the  globe.  In  a  genuine  sense 
it  has  regarded  the  world  as  Its  parish.  Here 
the  glorious  Gospel  of  the  blessed  God,  which  is 
for  all  mankind,  has  been  unfolded,  and  here  it 
has  been  translated  In  multitudes  of  noble 
human  lives.  For  a  centui7  after  the  founding 
of  the  town  this  Church  was  one  of  the  most 
potent  forces  In  shaping  Its  history.  Nor  did  its 
benignant  Influence  cease  with  the  advancing 
years.  It  has  fostered  education,  Intelligent 
citizenship,  and  wise  government.  It  has  been 
the  friend  of  the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  afflicted. 
It  has  followed  the  ever  receding  frontier  of  our 
own  land  with  its  benefactions,  and  the  wings  of 
the  wind  have  carried  them  to  the  outmost 
boundaries  of  the  earth.  Both  hemispheres  are 
Its  debtors.  Its  shining  record  Is  one  for  which 
we  may  be  devoutly  thankful  to  the  divine  Lord 
and  Master  of  us  all.  Though  kings  and  em- 
pires are  passing  away,  there  is  abundant  reason 
to  implore  the  God  of  our  fathers  that  He  will 
preserve  and  enlarge  this  Church  He  has  so 
signally  blessed  until  Its  redeeming  influence  is 
no  longer  needed  among  men. 


First  Church  of  Christ  149 


APPENDIX  A. 

The  Profession  of  the  Faith  and  order  of  the 
Gospell  made  by  those  that  first  entered  into 
Covenant  (on  the  4th  of  the  9th  month  1668) 
with  approbation  and  concurrence  of  ye  Hon- 
ored messengers  of  the  churches  then  present, 
sent  to  us  from  their  respective  churches. 

We  believe  with  our  Hearts  and  confess  with  our 
mouths, 

1.  That  there  is  one  and  but  one  true  and  living 
God,  the  Alone  Creatour,  Preserver  and  Govenour  of 
all  things.  Deut.  4:16,  Jer.  10:40,  Isa.  28:1,  Col. 
16:9,  Num.  11:22,  Psal.  28. 

2.  That  there  are  three  Distinct  Equally 
Glorious  persons  of  that  one  Godhead,  God  the  Father, 
God  the  Sone,  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  are  each 
of  them  true  and  very  God  and  yet  all  of  them  but 
one  and  the  self  same  God,  most  wise,  Holy,  Just, 
mercifull,  mighty  and  true:  that  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsell  of  his  owne  will.  Jer.  5  ij,  i  Tim. 
I  :i7,  Deut.  4:9. 

3.  That  Jesus  Christ  is  true  God  and  true  man  in 
one  person  the  onely  and  all  sufficient  Saviour  of 
falen  man,  that  by  his  Redemption  recovereth  the 
elect  out  of  that  lost  estate  they  are  in  by  Nature  to  a 
state  of  favour  and  life  forever. 


150  A  History  of  the 

4.  That  eternall  Life  and  Happiness  and  the  way  to 
it  through  Jesus  Christ  is  fully  revealed  by  the  spirit 
of  God  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or  written  word  of 
God  contained  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  which 
is  the  onely  rule  of  faith  and  obedience. 

5.  The  mysticall  or  invisible  church  is  but  one  com- 
prehending all  the  faithful  ones  who  are  trusting  in 
the  covenant  of  Grace,  beeing  saveingly  united  through 
faith  to  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Redemption  inwardly  and 
savingly  applyd  to  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

6.  The  mysticall  church  or  company  of  visible 
Believers  with  their  seed,  confirmed  in  the  covenant 
of  the  Gospel  is  the  onely  true  visible  and  mysticall 
Church  under  the  New  Testament  and  to  this  when  it 
IS  organized  (or  furnished  with  those  officers  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  appointed  in  his  house)  all  the  keys  of  the 
kingdome  of  Heaven  are  committed,  which  they  are  to 
improve  for  theyre  owne  Advantage  and  his  Honour. 

7.  In  the  Church  Administration  ye  power  of  Guid- 
ance, Leading  the  flock  in  the  name  of  Christ  ye  chiefe 
Governor  is  with  those  having  power  of  Judgement  or 
consent  with  the  Brethren. 

8.  All  members  of  orthodox  churches  beeing  sound 
in  ye  faith  and  not  skandalous  in  life  presenting  due 
Testimony  thereof,  those  occasionally  comeing  from 
one  church  to  another,  may  have  theyre  children  Bap- 
tized in  the  church  whither  they  come  by  virtue  of 
communion  of  churches;  but  if  they  remove  theire 
Habitation,  they  ought  orderly  to  covenant  and  subject 
themselves  to  ye  government  of  Christ  where  they 
settle  their  Abode  and  soe  theyre  children  to  bee  bap- 
tized, it  being  the  churches  duty  to  receive  such  into 
communion  therein  or  any  other  way  of  church  con- 
nection soe  far  as  theye  bee  regularly  fitt  for  the  same. 


First  Church  of  Christ  151 


THE  COVENANT 

(With  ye  names  of  such  whoe  have  personally, 
explicitly  and  on  their  own  acct  publicly  and  sollemly 
owned  it,  at  first.) 

We  doe  in  ye  presence  of  God,  the  Holy  Angells  and 
this  Assembly,  take  acknowledge  and  Avouch  the  one 
and  onely  true  God,  God  the  Father,  Sone  and  Holy 
Ghost  to  bee  our  God,  giving  up  ourselves  and  our 
children  to  him  to  be  his  people.  Ingaging  that  vi^e 
will  walk  with  this  God  and  one  with  another  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  of  ye  Gospell,  Attending  his  Holy  will 
made  known  to  us  in  his  word,  that  we  will  bee  sub- 
ject to  ye  Government  of  Christ  and  observe  all  those 
lawes  yt  he  hath  established  in  his  Kingdome,  soe  far 
as  hitherto  he  hath  or  hereafter  shall  be  pleased  to 
reveale  ye  same  unto  us.  And  particularly  yt  we  will 
maintaine  and  diligently  attend  all  his  ordinances; 
obeying  them  that  are  over  us  in  the  Lord ;  that  we  will 
watch  over  one  another  and  faithfully  deale  with  and 
submitt  to  one  another  in  case  of  offence  according  as 
ower  Lord  hath  commanded.  All  this  we  promise 
lawfully  to  perform  through  the  grace  and  strength  of 
Christ. 

Nathaniell  Collins  William  Harriss 

Thomas  Allen  John  Savage  Senior 

Thomas  Wetmer  Senior     Robbert  Warner 
John  Hall  Senior  Andrew  Warner  Senior 

Samuell  Stockin  Senior      George  Hubbard  Senior 


First  Church  of  Christ  153 


APPENDIX  B. 

Articles  of  Faith 

Adopted  April  16,  18 13 

You  believe  with  the  heart,  and  confess  with  the 
mouth,  that  there  is  one,  &  but  one  true  and  living 
God,  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy- 
Ghost,  who  is  a  Spirit,  eternal  and  unchangeable,  in 
his  being  and  attributes,  infinite  in  power,  knowledge, 
presence,  wisdom,  holiness,  justice,  goodness  and  truth; 
that  he  is  the  wise  Creator  of  all  things;  the  bountiful 
Preserver;  and  the  righteous  Benefactor  of  all  his 
creatures;  working  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will. 

You  believe  that  God  created  man  upright;  that  our 
parents  freely  sinned  and  fell;  and  all  mankind  in  a 
state  of  nature  are  dead  in  trespasses  &  sins,  and  are 
justly  exposed  to  all  the  miseries  of  this  life,  and  the 
pains  of  hell  forever. 

You  believe  that  the  only  Redeemer  of  God's  elect 
is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  very  God  and  very 
man ;  that  taking  upon  him  our  nature  he  suffered  and 
died  on  the  cross:  that  he  arose  from  the  dead,  and 
ascended  into  heaven,  where  he  ever  liveth  making 
intercession  for  us:  that  he  alone  has  made  an  atone- 
ment for  sin,  &  that  without  an  Interest  in  his  atone- 
ment, there  is  no  salvation. 

You  believe  that  without  a  change  of  heart,  wrought 
in  the  unregenerate,  by  the  divine  agency  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  is  very  God,   no  one  can  be  an  heir  of 


154  A  History  of  the 

eternal  life:  that  justification,  adoption,  sanctification, 
&  perseverance,  all  flow  from  the  free  and  sovereign 
grace  of  God. 

You  believe  that  eternal  life,  &  the  w^ay  to  it  thro 
Jesus  Christ,  are  fully  revealed  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or  the  written  word  of  God, 
contained  in  the  Old  &  New  Testament  which  is  the 
only  rule  of  faith  and  practice:  and  that  the  Lord's 
Supper  and  Baptism  are  sacraments  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

You  believe  that  there  will  be  a  general  resurrection 
of  the  righteous  and  wicked:  and  a  general  judgment, 
at  which  all  the  righteous  shall  be  admitted  to  ever- 
lasting happiness  and  all  the  wicked  sentenced  to 
misery  without  end. 

Thus  in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God,  you  solemnly 
profess  and  believe. 

Covenant 

You  do  now,  in  the  presence  of  God,  the  holy  angels 
and  this  assembly:  and  as  you  hope,  with  sincerity  of 
soul,  dedicate  yourself  to  God  in  Christ,  humbly  con- 
fessing and  repenting  of  your  sins. 

You  solemnly  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  be  your 
God:  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  your  Redeemer:  and  the 
eternal  Spirit  your  Sanctifier, —  engaging  that  by  the 
strength  of  divine  grace,  you  will  walk  with  this 
Church  in  all  Christian  fellowship  and  charity:  and  in 
due  attendance  upon  all  the  institutions  of  Christ. 

Thus  m  the  presence  of  God,  you  solemnly  covenant 
and  promise. 

Then  doth  this  Church  likewise  promise  you,  that 
in  the  strength  of  divine  grace,  we  will  walk  toward 
you  in  all  Christian  charity  and  watchfulness. 


First  Church  of  Christ  155 

FORM  OF  ADMISSION 

Dearly  Beloved:  —  Our  blessed  Lord  has  left  us 
this  cheering  promise:  "Whosoever  shall  confess  me 
before  men,  him  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father 
which  is  in  Heaven." 

You  are  now  here  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of 
many  witnesses,  to  acknowledge  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
We  trust  you  have  been  led  to  this  confession  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  that  you  feel  its  sacred  gladness. 
While  you  assume  weighty  responsibilities  to-day,  you 
also  enter  upon  privileges  which  are  most  precious. 

Having  given  to  the  Church  evidence  of  your  re- 
pentance toward  God,  and  of  your  faith  in  His  Divine 
Son,  you  now  publicly  confess  the  same.  You  afHrm, 
likewise,  your  agreement  with  us  in  accepting  the  es- 
sential doctrines  of  our  Christian  faith,  as  set  forth  in 
our  Confession  and  summarized  as  follows: 

We  believe   in   God,   the    Father,   Son,    and   Holy 

Ghost.  ,  •  r 

We  believe  in  the  common  smtulness  and  rum  ot 

our  race.  .  u       tt 

We  believe  that  Jesus  died  for  our  sms;  that  He 

ascended  into  heaven,  where  He  ever  liveth  to  make 

intercession   for  us;   and   that  from  thence   He  shall 

come  to  judge  the  world. 

We  believe  that  the  Holy  Spirit  renews  the  soul  and 

dwells   therein    for   its   furtherance   in   purity   and    m 

peace.  r  ^m    • 

We  believe  in  the  Church,  the  body  of  Christ;  its 
sacraments,  baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper;  the  com- 
munion of  saints;  the  forgiveness  of  sins;  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  and  the  life  everlasting. 

We  accept  these  truths  on  the  testimony  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  which  v/e  receive  as  the  word  of  God. 
Thus  you  believe. 


156  A  History  of  the 


COVENANT. 

Thus  confessing,  you  receive  the  Lord  Jehovah  as 
your  God,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  your  Redeemer, 
and  the  Eternal  Spirit  as  your  Sanctifier.  You  solemnly 
promise  that  by  the  strength  of  divine  grace,  you 
will  walk  with  this  Church  in  all  Christian  fellowship 
and  in  due  attendance  upon  Its  ordinances.  You  en- 
gage in  all  your  public  and  private  life,  by  precept  and 
example,  to  seek  to  honor  God.  You  pledge  to  Him 
the  affection  of  your  hearts  and  the  service  of  your 
lives. 

We,  therefore,  members  of  this  Church,  do  cordially 
welcome  you  to  our  number.  Renewing  our  own  vows 
of  allegiance  to  our  adorable  Master,  we  promise  that, 
by  His  gracious  help,  we  will  aid  you  with  our  sym- 
pathy, our  counsel  and  our  prayers,  In  all  holy  living, 
that  when  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  may 
receive  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 

Now  unto  Him  that  Is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling, 
and  to  present  you  faultless  before  the  presence  of  His 
glory  with  exceeding  joy;  to  the  only  wise  God,  our 
Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty,  dominion  and  power, 
both  now  and  ever.     Amen. 

Adopted  in  1880. 


First  Church  of  Christ  157 

The  summary  of  the  Creed  being  the  same 
as  In  the  previous  formula,  the  following  has 
been  In  use  since  19 10. 

Form  of   Reception  to  Membership 

Dearly  Beloved:  Our  blessed  Lord  uttered  this 
cheering  promise:  "Every  one  who  shall  confess  me 
before  men,  him  will  I  also  confess  before  my  Father 
who  is  in  heaven." 

You  are  now  here  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of 
His  people  that  you  may  publicly  acknowledge  Jesus 
Christ.  We  trust  you  have  been  led  to  this  confession 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  you  feel  its  sacred  glad- 
ness. With  true  sorrow  for  your  sins,  and  with 
humble  confidence  in  the  love  of  God,  you  desire  to 
enter  into  communion  with  His  Church. 

You  who  were  baptized  in  childhood  do  now  grate- 
fully accept  that  baptism,  while  you  confirm  the  cove- 
nant which  was  then  made  for  you. 

You  accept  Jesus  as  your  Lord  and  Redeemer, 
solemnly  declaring  your  purpose  to  be  His  disciples, 
and  to  do  the  will  of  God  as  revealed  through  Him. 
in  uniting  yourselves  to  this  Church,  you  promise  to 
seek  its  purity,  its  growth,  and  its  peace,  to  share  its 
worship  and  its  labors,  to  help  to  maintain  and  in- 
crease its  power  in  the  community,  and  to  do  all  that 
you  are  able  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
world. 

We,  therefore,  members  of  this  Church,  do  cordially 
welcome  you  to  our  fellowship.  Renewing  our  own 
vows  of  allegiance  to  our  adorable  Master,  we  promise 
that,  by  His  gracious  help,  we  will  walk  with  you  in 
Christian  love,  aiding  you  with  our  sympathy,  our 
counsel,  and  our  prayers,  in  all  holy  living,  that  when 


158  A  History  of  the 

the   chief   Shepherd   shall    appear,   ye   may   receive   a 
crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 

"  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  guard  you  from 
stumbling,  and  to  set  you  before  the  presence  of  his 
glory  without  blemish  in  exceeding  joy,  to  the  only 
God  our  Saviour,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  be 
glory,  majesty,  dominion  and  power,  before  all  time, 
and  now,  and  forevermore,    Amen." 


First  Church  of  Christ 


159 


APPENDIX   C. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  CHURCH 

Deacons 


(The  names  of  the  Pastors,  wl 
cerning  them,  appear  In  the  fore 
Hence  they  are  not  repeated  here 

Names 
Thomas  Allen,* 
Samuel   Stocking,* 
John  Hall,  Jr.  * 
Daniel    Markham,* 
William  Sumner* 
Obadiah   Allen,* 
Joseph   Rockwell,* 
Boriah  Wet  more,* 
Solomon   Atkins,* 
John  Hubbard,*  . 
Jonathan  Allen,* 
William  Rockwell,* 
Jabez  Hamlin,*   . 
Joseph   Clark,*    . 
John  E.  Hubbard,* 
Chauncey  Whittelsey,* 
Jacob  Wetmore,* 
Oliver  Wetmore,* 
Timothy  Boardman,* 
Matthew  T.  Russell, 
Thomas  Hubbard,* 
Joseph   Boardman,* 
Samuel  Eells,  2d, 
Henry  S.  Ward,* 
Richard  Rand,*  . 
Cyprian   Galpin,* 
John  B.  Woodford,* 
Evan  Davis,* 


th  facts  con- 
going  pages. 


Dates 

1670 

1670 

1670- 1694 

1690 

1695-1706 

1704 

1704- 1742 

1713 

1735-1748 
1743-1753 
1743-1783 
I 749- I 765 
1754-1791 
1765-1778 
1765-1782 
1778-1812 
1782-1825 
1784-1798 
I 784- I 792 
1798-1828 
1812-1828 
1813-1846 
1813-184O 
1828-1844 
1828-1844 
184O-1852 
1844- 1846 
1844-1869 


Years 


24 
II 
38 

13 

10 
40 
16 

37 
13 
17 
34 
43 
14 

8 
30 
16 
33 
27 
16 
16 
12 

2 
25 


i6o 


A  History  of  the 


Names 

John  H.  Sumner,* 
Robert  P.  Rand,* 
Selah  Goodrich,* 
Henry  E.  Sawyer,*     . 
Charles  A.  Boardman,* 
Ralph  J.  Miner, 
Edwin  P.  Augur, 
Lucius   R.  Hazen,* 
Frederic  L.  Gleason,* 
Albert   R.    Crittenden, 
Thomas    Gilbert, 
Walter  P.   Bradley,   . 
Edward  A.   Wilcox,    . 
James   H.   Bunce 
Charles  Brainard, 

After  serving  two  years  Mr.  Augur  left  the  city  for  a 
time. 

Having  returned  to  Middletown,  be  began  a  second 
term  of  service  in  1907,  and  he  still  holds  the  office. 
Hence  in  1918  he  had  been  a  Deacon  in  this  Church  for 
thirteen  years. 


Dates         Years 

I846-I870      24 

1850-1857            7 

1850-1888         38 

1869-1878           9 

1870-1907         2>7 

1873-1874           I 

1875-1877           2 

1877-1912        35 

1879-1884          5 

1884- 

1884- 

1892-1914 

1907- 

1913- 

1913- 

CLERKS  AND  TREASURERS 


(In  the  early  years  the  pastors  acted  as  clerks 
of  the  Church,  and  they  seem  to  have  been  its 
treasurers,  as  well.) 


Henry    E.    Sawyer, 
Horace    F.    Boardman    . 
Warren  J.  Breckenridge 
Robert  H.  Stothart 
Lafayette  F.  Denio 
Daniel  T.  Haines   . 


1868- 1878 
1879-1880 
1881-188J 
1884-1886 
I 887- 1892 
1893-190S 


(Mr.   Haines   was   clerk,   only,   and   his   term   was   the 
longest  on  record.) 


Edward  A.  Wilcox 
Edwin  P.  Augur 


1909- 1919  (clerk,  only.) 
1893-1919  (treasurer,  only.) 


INDEX 

Adams,  Pres.  John   ^2 

American  Missionary  Association  

Augur,  E.  P 

Bacon,    Leonard    ^7'  ^^^ 

Barnum,  H.  N , 

Barrows,   E.   P 

Bethany  Chapel       ' ' ' ' '  • ' "  -   ^^ 

Boardman,  Chas.  A 120   i6o 

Boardman,   H.   F.    • -^ ••   ,27'  n2 

Boardman,  Mrs.  H.  F ^H.  127,  132 

Bradford,   Wm ^^^ 

Brown,  Dr.  John  ^^^ 

Bunce,  James  H 

Bunce,  Mrs.  James  H •    ^^ 

Bunyan,  John  ' '   ^^^ 

Address  on    

Cadman,  Dr.  S.  Parkes    .^.... |-]^ 

Carlson.  Carl,  preacher  to  Swedes  -^^   ^ 

Carrington,  H ^^'    ^^ 

Chapin,  Calvin    ' 

Church,  First,  incorporated ^^ 

225th  Anniversary  Celebrated     

Clarke,  D.  W..  gives  Communion  Service ^^^.129 

Clarke,  Miss  Susan  C •.• ' 

Clark,  Walter  E.,  Gov.  of  Alaska  •  •  •     30 

Coffin,  O.  Vincent,  Gov.  of  Conn L 

Coffin,  Mrs.  O.Vincent  -"-^  ^^ 

Crittenden,  A.  R ; ' 

Conference,  General,  Meetings  of  

161 


1 62  Index 

Cummings,  Geo.  H no,  iii 

Daggett,  O.  E.,  supplies  pulpit  104 

Davis,  E.  R,  ordained  105 

Deacons,  First 27 

Deaconesses,  First  I2^ 

Devotion,  Ebenezer   49,  5i 

Dwight,    Timothy    60 

Dyer,  Mrs.  E.  S 100,  119 

Education  Fund  109 

Edwards,  Jonathan   43 

Fast  Day  for  Children   34 

Ferguson,  W.  B 127 

Field,  David  D 69 

Fisher,  Stanley  R 124 

Fiske,  John    123 

Garfield,  Pres.  James  A 106 

Goodrich,  Dea.  S 85,  96,  in 

Guy,  Geo.  W loi 

Haines,  D.  T 160 

Half  Way  Gov't  43,    66 

Hall,  John    9,    ip 

Hall,  Wm.  H 142 

Hamlin,  Giles    26,   34 

Hamlin,   Jabez    56,    57,109 

Harvard  College    18 

Hazen,   L.   R I34 

Hodgdon,  T.  M 112 

Hope,  A.  H 128 

Horton,    Douglas 136 


Index  1 63 

Hawes,  Joel  81 

Hosmer,  Titus    55 

Hubbard,    Elijah    57 

Hubbard,  H.  G 114 

Hubbard,  Josiah  M 130 

Hubbard,  Nehemiah 57 

Hubbard,  Mrs.  S.  D no 

Hubbard,  Walter  B 123,  127,  131 

Hulbert,  G.  H 127 

Huntington,  Mrs.  Wolcott   100,  113 

Kelley,  Wm.  V no 

Kilbourn,   S.   Elizabeth    132 

Ladd,  Percy  C 133 

Lee,  Wallace  H 107 

Lotteries,  opinion  on 75 

Mansfield,  Gen.  J.  K.  F 88 

Mather,    Cotton    29 

Mather,  Thos.  G 114 

Mansfield,  Katharine  M.  M 121,  131 

Meeting    Houses    10,  28,  42,  58,  99 

Meigs,  Gen.  Return  J 56 

Moody,  D.  L 102,  113 

Parish  House    136 

Parsonage,    Memorial    134 

Parsons,  Gen.  S.  H 56 

Pearne,  W.  U 107,  124 

Pentecost,  Geo.  F 103,  126 

Pierpont,  Mary  and  Sarah  40 

Pratt,  Waldo  S 107 


1 64  Index 

Rand,  Mrs.  Geo 108 

Revolution,   The    53,    56 

Russell,  Miss  F.  A 119 


Sabbath  School   76,  144 

Sage,  Col.  Comfort  S^ 

Sawyer,  H.  E 87,  96,  160 

Saybrook  Platform  36 

Smith,  Mrs.  E.  B 100 

Smith,  S.  G 127 

Smith,  Mrs.  S.  G 116 

Society,  First  Ecclesiastical   143 

South    Church    77 

Stebbins,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  C 103 

Stow,    Sam'l    11,  12,    33 

Sumner,  Col.  John  46,    56 

Tablet,  Historical    131 

Talcott,  Col.  M 55 

Taylor,  N.  W 69 

Titcomb,    Arthur    107,  112 

Tracy,  Miss   Emily    100,  120 

Tuck,  Rev.  J.  W 109 


Upper  Houses,  Church  at 28 


Ward,  Henry  S 86,  91 

Watts,  I.,  his  Psalms  51 

Weeks,  Frank  B 1 1 1^  129 

Westfield,  Third  Church   '  53 


Index  165 

Whitefield,    Geo 44 

Whittlesey,  Chauncey  57 

Williams,  H.   T 116 

Wilson,  Woodrow,  Pres 125,  135 

Winthrop,  John,  Gov 23 

Workman,  C.  H 129 


Yale  College   36 


University  of 
Connecticut 

Libraries 


39153027588294 


